Seminole Negro Indian Scouts Historical Society
From the Archives
From the Archives shares original newspapers, military correspondence, letters, and other historical documents related to the Seminole Negro Indian Scouts and their communities.
Each document includes a transcription, a brief explanation of its historical significance, and keywords to help readers conduct further research. Our goal is to make these records accessible, especially to descendants, and provide reliable historical sources that people can use to learn more, explore questions, and better understand their history.
Episode 1: Exodus
Kidnapping of Seminole Negroes — June 7, 1848
Fort Smith Herald, Fort Smith, Arkansas
This newspaper reports the kidnapping of three Seminole Negroes who had been freed by General Thomas Jesup during the Second Seminole War. It describes competing claims of ownership, arrests, and a killing connected to the kidnapping. Despite promises of freedom and federal protection, the Seminole Negroes continued to face threats of kidnapping and enslavement in Indian Territory. The article provides important context for understanding why, just two years later, John Horse and his followers joined Wild Cat and the Kickapoos in leaving Indian Territory for Mexico to protect their freedom.
View Historical Document and Transcription
The Seminole Negroes — November 17, 1849
Arkansas Intelligencer, Van Buren, Arkansas
More than a decade after General Thomas Jesup promised freedom to the Seminole Negroes, disputes over their status continued. This newspaper article describes competing ownership claims, federal involvement, and threats of seizure just months before the community's 1850 exodus to Mexico.
View Historical Document and Transcription