When Native American Indians Owned Slaves By Herman Jeremias Nieboer 1910

When Native American Indians Owned Slaves By Herman Jeremias Nieboer 1910

See also: When Blacks Owned Slaves, by Calvin Dill Wilson 1905 and A History of White Slavery by Charles Sumner 1853 and When the Irish were Slaves, article in The Month 1890

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According to the census of 1860 several Indian tribes had Negro-slaves. Our informant enumerates the Choctaws, Cherokees, Creeks and Chickasaws. Slavery was carried on to a great extent; some owners had from 50 to 200 slaves. We may remember that all these originally had no slaves.

The Creeks already in Bartram's time (1789..."The Creek and Cherokee Nations") had slaves. He tells us of a chief who kept 15 Negroes; they were slaves until they married Indian women, and then acquired the privileges of the tribe. Schoolcraft informs us that if an Indian should murder a Negro, the law is satisfied with the value of the Negro being paid to the owner.

The Seminoles also had Negro-slaves, according to Roosevelt and Gregg. But Maccauley is not quite certain about it. He observed a few Negroes living with them. It had been said that they were slaves; but our author is not of that opinion. Maccauley's account, however, dates from a later period than the other statements. (Gregg: Karawanenzuge durche die westlichen Prairieen und Wanderungen in Nord-Mejico; Roosevelt: The Winning of the West; Maccauley: The Seminole Indians of Florida)

The Shahnees in Gregg's time also kept a few Negro slaves.

Amongst the French Creoles the rich possessed slaves, Negroes imported from Africa and Indians overcome and taken in battle.

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From STATEMENT OF J. COODY JOHNSON, A CREEK FBEEDMAN, MEMBER OF THE NATIONAL COUNCIL OF THE CREEK NATION (Five Civilized Tribes, Congressional Edition 1907)
You are doubtless aware that the citizenship of the Creek Nation is composed of a mixed multitude, I might say, of people of various nationalities. One of the reasons for that is that in 1866 and prior thereto the Creek Indians, along with other citizens of the United States, were pleased to own slaves—persons of African descent and blood—and on the abolition of slavery the proclamation of emancipation found these slaves—these persons who had been slaves—residents of the Creek Nation. The Creeks, in making their treaty of 1866 between themselves and the United States Government, saw fit to make citizens of these people who had been their slaves. Some gentlemen take the position that they became free in spite of the Indians; but I say that they made citizens of them of their own free volition. That is evident, because there was no reason why those people should be given citizenship among those Indians if the Indians had not so desired.

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From Indians: the Five Civilized Tribes in Indian Territory: The Cherokee, Chickasaw, Chocktaw, Creek and Seminole By United States. Census Office. 11th Census, 1890
The negroes, once slaves of The Five Tribes, are of much interest in connection with the final settlement of the land question. The Five Tribes, except the Seminoles, all owned slaves prior to and during the war.

Don Cheadle Finds Out Native Americans Owned His Ancestors