Freedmen of the Five Native Tribes

The Freedmen of the Five Native Tribes represent a vital yet often overlooked part of American history. Enslaved and later emancipated by members of the Cherokee, Chickasaw, Choctaw, Creek (Muscogee), and Seminole Nations, these men, women, and children carried both African and Native heritage. Following the Civil War, the 1866 treaties granted them freedom and citizenship within their respective nations. Despite generations of displacement, exclusion, and resilience, Freedmen communities preserved their traditions, faith, and family legacies—bridging two worlds while shaping the shared history of Indian Territory and beyond.