Browse Items (71 total)

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.

In this statement, the Seminole leadership on the reservations laid out their vision for tribal reorganization and self-governance. Their response stated that their tribe would not be prepared to take over the responsibilities placed on it by an…

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).

This map, drawn by anthropologist Clay MacCauley, indicates the locations of some of the Florida Indian groups living in South Florida during the late 19th century. He groups them into distinct communities. One interesting observation is that most of…

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.…

During this event, the President of the United States addressed members of the Standing Rock Sioux Tribe concerning his vision on several issues important to the Indian community, including improved economic and educational opportunities for their…

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…