Seminole Freedmen bands: Dosar Barkus and Caesar Bruner, "forcibly removed from Florida" (Seminole Nation of Oklahoma, 1866–2022)
Record: the document says itPattern: documents line upLens: our readingOpen: not yet proven
Year: 1866 · Places: Florida, Oklahoma & the Five Tribes, Africa
SUMMARYSeminole Freedmen bands: Dosar Barkus and Caesar Bruner, "forcibly removed from Florida" (Seminole Nation of Oklahoma, 1866–2022) [Connections: Five Tribes, Florida & maroons, Nov 5, 2026]
RECORDIn written testimony to the Senate Committee on Indian Affairs (July 27, 2022), Chief Lewis Johnson and Assistant Chief Brian Palmer state the Nation has 14 bands, two of them Freedmen bands recognized in 1866: "These two Bands are comprised of Seminole Citizens of African descent who had been forcibly removed from Florida." Each band has two seats on the General Council. But: "Seminole Freedmen are Citizens of the Seminole Nation but are not classified as 'Members' for historical reasons."
PATTERNthe Nation's own leaders say these people walked removal from Florida as Seminoles; the citizen/member split still decides services
LENS (WW9)the chief's own testimony puts them on the removal road from Florida with the nation
OPENwhat the "historical reasons" are; the 2000 vote (Wikipedia says it excluded about 1,200 Freedmen) needs a primary source
SOURCESeminole Nation testimony, Senate Committee on Indian Affairs, July 27, 2022 (PDF); Black Wall Street Times, Mar. 29, 2021.