Section 5: 1957-1962--Variants of Recognition

The Constitution and Charter Committee of the Seminole Tribe, 1957. Courtesy of the Ah-Tah-Thi-Ki Seminole Indian Museum.

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During the latter part of the 1950s, as the Seminole and Miccosukee Tribes began to draft constitutions that would establish standards of governance for their groups, the political struggle in Southern Florida escalated.  Both federal and state officials wrestled with the extent of authority to offer the two Florida Indian factions.  While the newly organized Seminole tribal government worked on refining its relationship with the U.S., the Miccosukee Tribe campaigned to gain full acceptance as a separately recognized tribe.