An antique 18th-century wooden writing desk that once belonged to state Rep. Hamilton McMillan will soon be on display at the Museum of the Southeast American Indian on the campus of the institution he helped establish in 1887.
McMillan was instrumental in founding the Croatan Normal School––known today at The University of North Carolina at Pembroke––sponsoring legislation to create a school to train American Indian teachers. The vintage Civil War-era furniture was gifted to the university by the family of E.H. Alexander Jr.––a great-grandson of McMillan and a 1967 graduate of UNCP.
“It is remarkable that we have a piece of history that relates to Hamilton from so far back,” said Nancy Chavis, director of the Museum of the Southeast American Indian.
“This type of gift to the museum makes history come alive,” Chavis said. “And it enlightens our work because it provides that touch point from the past. To think, Hamilton McMillan sat at this desk and, perhaps, this was a place where he was thinking about things that ultimately resulted in the creation of this university.”
The desk, believed to date to the late 1850s, had been preserved for decades in Red Springs at the home of Alexander. McMillan, a Civil War veteran, educator and lawyer, lived in Red Springs while serving Robeson County in the North Carolina General Assembly from 1885 to 1888. He will forever be linked with the institution’s founders––Isaac Brayboy, James E. Dial Sr., Preston Locklear, W.L. Moore, James “Big Jim” Oxendine, John J. Oxendine and Olin Oxendine––for securing $500 to help establish the school.
Chancellor Robin Gary Cummings attended a ceremony at the museum to thank the family for their generosity.
“I can’t overstate the significance of having this piece of Hamilton McMillan’s history here at the university’s museum,” Cummings said. “I admire Hamilton for his pivotal role in our university’s founding, helping shape it into the institution it is today. Our seven American Indian founders had the vision and determination, but in 1887, it was Hamilton’s advocacy and support that brought their vision to life.”
A life-size bronze statue of McMillan has been a fixture on campus for decades since it was unveiled during the centennial celebration on March 5, 1987. It was restored and rededicated during Founders Day in 2019. It sits in front of Old Main, which houses the museum. Several of McMillan’s archival documents, including the original legislation, are part of the museum collection.
“Having this piece of history here and marrying it with the original legislation for the Croatan Indian Normal School, along with a few personal effects of his, is powerful,” Chavis said. “This is a great addition to our collection.”
Johnny Robertson, a longtime friend of Alexander who helped facilitate the gift, was thrilled to learn the desk will be displayed on campus, considering McMillan’s historic ties to UNCP.
“This is a piece of our local history that needs to be preserved and appreciated and enjoyed by a broader audience,” Robertson said. “It’s a tangible part of our history. It’s what not only gives Red Springs a connection to UNCP but also gives us all a connection to our historic past."
