Arlinda Locklear facts for kids

Arlinda Locklear (born in 1951) is an American lawyer. She is a member of the Lumbee Tribe, a Native American group. Arlinda Locklear is known as an expert in Native American law. She helps tribes gain official recognition from the government.

Many people say she was the first Native American woman to argue a case in front of the U.S. Supreme Court. However, Lyda Conley was actually the first Native American woman to do so. Arlinda Locklear worked for the Lumbee tribe from 1987 to 2010. She helped them try to get federal recognition.

Early Life and Education

Arlinda Locklear was born in 1951. Her parents, Edsel Locklear and Mary Elizabeth Revels, were both Lumbee. She was born in Fort Bragg, North Carolina. She spent most of her childhood in Charleston, South Carolina. Her father worked for the navy there.

Every summer and during holidays, Arlinda visited Robeson County, North Carolina. This is where her grandparents and other Lumbee family lived. She loved Robeson County. But she also saw segregation there. She had to sit in the "Indian" section of movie theaters. These experiences made her want to become a lawyer. She wanted to help protect her people from unfair treatment.

Arlinda Locklear went to the College of Charleston. She earned a degree in political science in 1973. Then, she studied law at Duke University. She graduated in 1976. While at Duke, she won a law competition. She even beat a young John Kerry! She became very interested in Native American law. This happened after taking a class with a professor named Lawrence Rosen.

A Career Helping Tribes

After finishing law school in 1976, Arlinda Locklear started working. She became a staff attorney at the Native American Rights Fund (NARF). This group helps Native American people with legal issues. She worked at their office in Boulder, Colorado. In 1982, she became the main attorney for NARF's Washington office.

In 1983, Arlinda Locklear argued a case before the U.S. Supreme Court. This was a big moment! The case was called Solem v. Barlett. She successfully defended the right of the Sioux people. She argued that they could handle legal matters for people on their own land.

Two years later, she won another important case. It was called Oneida Indian Nation v. County of Oneida. The Supreme Court decided that New York State had wrongly taken land. This land belonged to the Oneida tribe.

One of her proudest moments was a case for the Fort McDowell Yavapai Nation. This tribe is in Arizona. Their land was very dry in the 1970s. They didn't have enough water because of legal problems. Arlinda Locklear and the Fort McDowell Yavapai Nation won their case in 1990. Now, the land around their reservation is green and growing!

In the late 1980s, Arlinda Locklear started helping her own tribe. The Lumbee tribe wanted to be officially recognized by the U.S. government. North Carolina had recognized them in 1885. But the U.S. government had not. In 1956, the Lumbee received some federal acknowledgment. But they didn't get the same benefits as other recognized tribes.

In 1987, Arlinda Locklear became the Lumbee tribe's lawyer. She worked for them for free (this is called pro bono). She spoke to Congress many times. In 1995, they almost won! The House of Representatives passed a bill to recognize the Lumbee. But the Senate stopped the bill. Arlinda Locklear continued to represent her tribe until 2010.

After 1988, Arlinda Locklear also worked for a law firm called Patton Boggs, LLC. She also started her own private law practice.

Awards and Recognition

Arlinda Locklear has received many awards for her work.

• In 1987, she was named the "Outstanding Woman of Color." This award was from the National Institute for Women of Color.
• In 1995, she received the Carpathian Award for Speaking Out. This was from North Carolina Equity.

She has also received special honorary doctorates. These are degrees given to honor someone's achievements.

• State University of New York at Oneonta (1990)
• North Carolina State University (2007)
• College of Charleston (2012) – She gave the graduation speech when she received this one!

Arlinda Locklear also received the Julian T. Pierce award. This award recognizes her work for equal justice. In 2012, she received the Margaret Brent Women Lawyers of Achievement Award. This award is from the American Bar Association. They praised her knowledge of Native American law. They called her "an inspiration" to other Native American women lawyers.

From 2016 to 2017, Arlinda Locklear was featured in a special exhibit. It was at the Mitchell Museum of the American Indian. The exhibit shared the stories of 12 modern Native American women leaders.

Personal Life

Arlinda Locklear has two children, a son and a daughter. Her husband was also a lawyer who worked for Native American rights. He passed away in 1988.

See also

• List of first women lawyers and judges in the United States