The Black Seminole Indians are a combination of two different people. On one hand, you have African slaves from West Africa that were specifically targeted by slave traders because they knew how to farm rice; once the Africans were brought to the British colonies (South Carolina, Georgia) they formed a distinct culture that is today known as Gullah Geechee.
On the other hand, you have a group of natives from several different native groups who are collectively known as Seminoles; they lived in the Florida, Georgia Alabama area.
In the late 1600’s, early 1700’s, Seminoles and Africans, were escaping the South Carolina, Georgia area and headed into Florida. The two people, Gullah and Seminole lived together, cooperated, and even married each other. They eventually became one people known as the Black Seminoles.
When I was in high school I remember learning about Harriet Tubman and the Underground Railroad. I still drift off into her memory everytime I hear “I freed a thousand slaves; I would have freed a thousand more, if they only knew they were slaves.” As a side note, but relevant to our current conversation, I did not learn that Harriet and her siblings had Hebrew names before they were forced to accept Christian names; I would have really appreciated that kind of history in high school, but they were quiet about that too.
I was under the impression that all the slaves were escaping the south and fleeing into Canada. I love Harriett Tubman and what she did; It was courageous and exciting, but I had never heard of Black Seminoles and even if I had, I’m almost sure my tilted historical Indoctrination had convinced me that historians were only making a psuedo descriptive reference like “the Black Irish.” It just didn’t register in my mind that they were actually, really “Black, Black. ” You can still comb through some historical information today and never realize the real influence that “Blacks” played in what they call the “Indian Wars.”
The Gullah were motivated to escape into Florida because, first, it was the nearest International border. The second motivation was that the Spanish offered them freedom if they would defend the land; the Spanish owned Florida until 1821.
Africans reached Fort Mose as early as 1689. The Spanish Crown strategically built Fort Mose to attract African runaways. The Spanish didn’t want to end slavery but they wanted to thwart the British colonies. If slaves could make it to Fort Mose, they were educated, trained in combat, armed, and plenty dangerous. Even little girls could handle firearms by the time they were 10 years old. These people had been skilled Warriors for 100 years already before the first Seminole War broke out.
The Largest Slave Revolt in U.S. History
Why are the Black Seminoles so unusual? Because they are responsible for the largest slave revolt in U.S. history. The U.S. fought three wars against these people. The second war (1835 -1841) cost the U.S. more than any American war up until Vietnam.
I learned about the Nat Turner rebellion, but I’d never heard of the Seminole Wars. The States were afraid to live next to the Seminoles because these people didn’t play games. The U.S. was encroaching on their land and they were not happy about it.
The Seminoles even won major battles against the British and U. S. armies, but the most impressive victory was their fight to keep their kin from going back into slavery. I was taught that Abraham Lincoln freed the slaves. After hearing about the Black Seminoles and their disposition, I’m almost positive they would disagree.
In 1835 Andrew Jackson (17th President of the United States) decided that he was going to move all the natives West to Oklahoma. You may recognize this event known as the Trail of Tears. Jackson was willing to offer land in Oklahoma but wanted to separate the Seminoles with negro blood and bring them back into slavery.
Think about that; Jackson was asking the Seminoles to turn over their wives, children, uncles, and cousins; a people who hadn’t known slavery for generations.
The Original Emancipation Proclamation
This is where a gets interesting.
Andrew Jackson decides to forcefully remove all natives form Florida by signing the Indian Removal Act in 1935. The Treaty of Dancing Rabbit Creek took care of the Choctaws; they took the money in exchange for their removal west of the Mississippi. The Treaty of Echota took care of the Cherokee, but the Seminoles rejected all Treaties and continued to fight!
The government became weary due to the cost of the war (almost 40 million dollars.) Jackson finally just let them stay.
Most of the Seminoles suffered through the trial of Tears but John Horse lead a group into Mexico and a small remnant remained in their ancestral land and to this day are known as “The Unconquered.”
In my opinion, THAT was the first emancipation of the American slave.
I thought that the slaves were freed from the kindness of Abraham Lincoln’s heart. I didn’t know any better; I understand now, that if Abraham Lincoln could have, he would have kept the status quo. As I’d heard before, he was just trying to save the Union.
No, Abraham Lincoln didn’t free the slaves because he loved them. He freed them because they were educated, armed, and they were burning sugar plantations down to the ground!
Now I have a new perspective. I know now, what they didn’t teach me in high school; our people paid for our freedom with courage, blood and fight, it wasn’t just handed to them; “kumbaya” has a whole different meaning for me now.
“Throughout my operations, I have found the negroes to be the most active and determined warriors; and during the conferences with the Indian chiefs, I ascertained that they exercised an almost controlling influence over them…This, you may be assured, is a negro and not an Indian war“
-Brigadier General Thomas Sidney Jesup
13th quartermaster General of the United States Army.