African-Native American Research Forum Archive
Seminole Freedman Vote
I wanted to say that my step grandfather Calvin Bruner was a Seminole Freedman and he was proud of his heritage. I can't believe that the Seminole tribe did what was done on that Vote. Most of the freedman descendants came to Oklahoma from Florida with the tribe. They were a large part of the tribe and still they mix with Seminole Indians today in Wewoka and Seminole. Some of the Freedmen can't be distinguished from a full blood Seminole member of the tribe. They look the same and it's very hard to tell if they are of African or Seminole blood. This vote was probably taken because of the new money issue with the tribe and the fact that the Freedman are suing the Government over this money business. Also today many of the Seminoles have mixed with the Whites over there and they don't like it that they have a black part of the tribe they have to deal with. The Bruner Docus and Barcus bands sit on the tribal counsel and vote in some of the tribal elections. The Seminoles never denied the African or Black Seminoles admission in their tribal polites or in the benefits of tribal government. This all started in the 20 century when many of them started mixing with the White populations. The Black Seminoles fought and died with the Florida Indians and some of them were Chiefs. This must stop and it will!
[7 jul 2000]
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