An almost buried past will be reinvigorated during the Virtual Panel, “Voices from the Seminole Maroon Diaspora,” to be presented by the Florida Black Historical Research Project (FBHRP)  at 1:00 p.m. on Sunday,  January 17, to mark the 183rd Anniversary Commemoration of the Seminole Maroon encounter with the U.S. military in Palm Beach County, Florida.

Seminole Maroon descendants from Florida and from exile communities in Oklahoma, Texas, Mexico and the Bahamas will offer fascinating stories of a previously "forgotten" history related to the outrages of the 19th Century "Seminole Wars" and the infamous "Trail of Tears."

This Virtual Panel, the second of two programs offered to the Virtual Community by FBHRP and presented  in cooperation with the Loxahatchee Battlefield Preservationists and Palm Beach County Parks,  will be followed, immediately after the question and answer session, by a one-hour presentation of the On-site Commemorative event  live-streamed on January 9 from Loxahatchee River Battlefield Park in Jupiter.

Col. Jesup:  “This is a negro war…”

 The Keynote Speaker for the discussion is Dr. Anthony Dixon, whose book, Florida’s Negro War:  Black Seminoles and the Second Seminole War 1835-1842, makes the argument that the Second Seminole War was fueled by United States efforts, at the behest of Florida planters,  to enslave Black Seminoles and their self-emancipated Black Allies, whose large fighting presence was in evidence.

From Oklahoma

Senator Anastasia Pittman (ret.), founder of Anastasia Pittman Research Institute for Indigenous People of Color, will discuss the Institute’s Black Seminole Project, “Protecting the Fire,” the story of the 300-year saga of Black Seminoles.

From Texas and Mexico

Two representatives from the Brackettville, Texas Seminole Indian Scouts Cemetery Association (SISCA), Augusta “Gigi” Pines, its president, and Windy Goodloe, its secretary will discuss Brackettville’s exile community and its beloved Seminole Indian Scouts Museum founded by Ms. Charles Emily Wilson.

Corina Torralba, a descendant of Comunidad Negros Mascogos, the exile community of Nacimiento, Mexico, who is also treasurer of  Brackettville’s SISCA,  will discuss the Nacimiento community whose residents had originated in Brackettville.

From The Bahamas

Dr. Rosalyn Howard, Assoc. Professor of Anthropology (ret.) of the University of Central Florida and author of  Black Seminoles in the Bahamas, Recollection and Reconnection: Voices of the St. David’s Islanders and their Native American Relatives and Ms. Michelle Bowleg, District Superintendent of Schools of Andros and Berry Islands and direct descendant of the Red Bays settlement will discuss the family legacy and its founding ancestor, Scipio Bowlegs.

From Florida

Samuel Tommie of the Seminole Tribe of Florida, is an artist, videographer and environmental activist “born on a tree island in the Everglades,” who will bring reminiscences of Seminole life and customs.

Dr. Wallis Tinnie, a member of FBHRP Board, will moderate the panel and close out the discussion with her research and recollections related to her own Seminole ancestry and to the Seminole presence in West Palm Beach, Florida.

Dr. Tinnie will host the question/answer session through the Zoom Chat Room.

Following the question/answer session will be a Special Airing of a one-hour presentation of the January 9 Virtual Event held at Loxahatchee River Battlefield Park in Jupiter, Florida.

To join the Zoom meeting on January 17, please click the following:
https://us02web.zoom.us/j/89195261636?pwd=MDFIRlJvZ3UrdW8xWHdDOUZrdzJ4UT09
Meeting ID: 891 9526 1636
Passcode: 397959

For info:
Wallis Tinnie:   wtinnie@gmail.com.
Dinizulu:  dinizulu7@gmail.com