Fascinating.
And are you familiar with the process whereby blacks who were held as slaves by some Indian tribes were actually allowed to officially enroll in the early 20th century?
Amazing stuff, really. It would be fascinating to undercover in one’s family tree that you were “Indian” but without ever having been an “Indian” but just owned by Indians. Of course, if my memory is correct, descendants of those slaves are not able to enroll in tribes now, because they aren’t “actually” Indian.
If nothing else....it sort of shows the chaos and confusion (and to the enterprising, the opportunities) that exist as civil wars wind down. And for the poetic, reflecting on the heartbreak of it all is just incredible. So many layers of sadness. (And they were all American).
Thanks again for the little history lesson.
You are a national treasure and we are so grateful to have you around Free Republic.
Yes there were black Indians as well ad Indian slaveholders as well as bkack slaveholders in the south.