Browse Items (44 total)

In 1971, this BIA Office was confronted by a disgruntled crowd who felt that the organization had not sufficiently protected the rights of the local Indian community. In the second half of the 20th century, many Indian groups increasingly demanded…

Buffalo Tiger--a young, English-speaking Miccosukee Tribal Member--was a prominent spokesman for his tribe. He, along with other rising leaders, led a determined campaign to secure separate federal recognition for his community. This included the…

The Seminole Constitution was the first of the two Florida tribes' constitutions to be officially recognized by the U.S. government. The leadership expected this to be a major step toward the federal government's eventual acceptance of Seminole…

By meeting with state officials in Tallahassee, the Seminole leadership began building governmental relationships that would help in the reorganization process.

John Collier, who was Commissioner of Indian Affairs from 1933 to 1945, was the primary advocate for passage of the Wheeler-Howard Act (better known as the Indian Reorganization Act of 1934).

Sugarcane growers and other agricultural concerns required large amounts of land to produce their products, and they planted tracts near the Everglades. Other businesses, such as oil companies, also wanted to exploit the Everglades’ rich natural…

Some Florida Indians maintained self-sufficiency through the tourism industry in the early 20th century. Income from such activities lessened their dependence on governmental assistance, which, in turn, allowed them a greater amount of autonomy.…

Buffalo Tiger and Mike Osceola were two of the most prominent members of the “new generation” of young spokesmen for the South Florida Indians. Their fluency in English led them to represent their respective tribal interests with important political…

Ingraham Billie was an early leader in the push to maintain the Miccosukee General Council as a separate governing body from the Seminole Reservation Indian Tribal Council. However, disagreements with the new generation of Miccosukee leadership led…

The Miccosukee Tribe Chairman, Buffalo Tiger, (center) presents House Speaker E.C. Rowell of Sumter County with a leader's jacket from the Miccosukee. Both Florida tribes interacted with federal and staff officials throughout the 20th century. Their…