Choctaw Freedmen
Encyclopedia
The Choctaw freedmen were enslaved African Americans who became part of the Choctaw Nation
with emancipation after the American Civil War
, a requirement of the 1866 treaty the US made with the Choctaw. The Choctaw had sided with the Confederacy during the war.
"Freedmen" is one of the terms given to the newly emancipated people after slavery was abolished in the United States. The Choctaw Freedmen were adopted into the Choctaw Nation in 1885.
Like other tribes, the Choctaw had held slaves as captives from warfare. As they adopted elements of European
culture, such as larger farms and plantations, they began to adapt their system for one of chattel slavery of workers of African descent. Moshulatubbee had slaves, as did many of the European men, generally fur traders, who married into the Choctaw nation. The Folsom and LeFlore families were some of the planters
who held the most slaves. Slavery lasted in the Choctaw Nation until 1866. Former slaves of the Choctaw Nation would be called the Choctaw Freedmen. The family of African descent and distinct free status in the Choctaw Nation at the time of Indian Removal
was the Beams family.
Choctaw Nation of Oklahoma
The Choctaw Nation of Oklahoma is a semi-autonomous Native American homeland comprising twelve tribal districts. The Choctaw Nation maintains a special relationship with both the United States and Oklahoma governments...
with emancipation after the American Civil War
American Civil War
The American Civil War was a civil war fought in the United States of America. In response to the election of Abraham Lincoln as President of the United States, 11 southern slave states declared their secession from the United States and formed the Confederate States of America ; the other 25...
, a requirement of the 1866 treaty the US made with the Choctaw. The Choctaw had sided with the Confederacy during the war.
"Freedmen" is one of the terms given to the newly emancipated people after slavery was abolished in the United States. The Choctaw Freedmen were adopted into the Choctaw Nation in 1885.
Like other tribes, the Choctaw had held slaves as captives from warfare. As they adopted elements of European
Culture of Europe
The culture of Europe might better be described as a series of overlapping cultures. Whether it is a question of North as opposed to South; West as opposed to East; Orthodoxism as opposed to Protestantism as opposed to Catholicism as opposed to Secularism; many have claimed to identify cultural...
culture, such as larger farms and plantations, they began to adapt their system for one of chattel slavery of workers of African descent. Moshulatubbee had slaves, as did many of the European men, generally fur traders, who married into the Choctaw nation. The Folsom and LeFlore families were some of the planters
Plantation
A plantation is a long artificially established forest, farm or estate, where crops are grown for sale, often in distant markets rather than for local on-site consumption...
who held the most slaves. Slavery lasted in the Choctaw Nation until 1866. Former slaves of the Choctaw Nation would be called the Choctaw Freedmen. The family of African descent and distinct free status in the Choctaw Nation at the time of Indian Removal
Indian Removal
Indian removal was a nineteenth century policy of the government of the United States to relocate Native American tribes living east of the Mississippi River to lands west of the river...
was the Beams family.
See also
- African Americans with Native Heritage
- Cherokee Freedmen
- Black SeminolesBlack SeminolesThe Black Seminoles is a term used by modern historians for the descendants of free blacks and some runaway slaves , mostly Gullahs who escaped from coastal South Carolina and Georgia rice plantations into the Spanish Florida wilderness beginning as early as the late 17th century...