Arlinda Locklear

Arlinda Locklear (born 1951) is an American lawyer of Native American origin from the Lumbee tribe. Locklear, who is often cited as the first Native American woman to argue a case before the U.S. Supreme Court, has actually followed in the footsteps of Lyda Conley (ca. 1869 – 1946), who was the first Native American and Native American woman admitted to argue a case before the US Supreme Court. Locklear is noted as an expert in Native American law and tribal recognition litigation. She represented the Lumbee tribe in its quest for federal recognition from 1987 until 2010.

Early life Locklear was born in 1951 to Edsel Locklear and Mary Elizabeth Revels, both members of the Lumbee. Locklear was born in Fort Bragg, and she spent most of her youth in Charleston, where her father worked with the navy. Every summer and during holidays, however, Locklear went to Robeson County, North Carolina, where her grandparents and other Lumbee tribe members lived. Despite her love of Robeson County, Locklear had regular experiences with segregation as a child. Those early experiences with discrimination – such as being made to sit in the "Indian" section of local movie theatres – compelled her to become a lawyer to help protect her people from acts of racism.

Locklear earned a BA in political science from the College of Charleston in 1973, followed by a JD from the School of Law at Duke University in 1976. During her time at Duke University, Locklear won a moot court competition in her third year, beating a young John Kerry.

Personal life Locklear has two children, a son and a daughter. Her husband was also an attorney for Native American rights; he died of a heart attack in 1988.