New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1902-07-06
THE RICH CREEK NEGROES.
ARE DESCENDANTS OF SLAVES
SHARE IN TRIBAL FUNDS.

The richest community of negroes in the United
States lives Indian Territory. There are seven
thousand of them, and they worth on an av-
erage of 5000 each The wealth of the more indus
trious foot up higher. certain individuals
being the of from $4,000 to $4,000 worth of
land each.
These negroes are the descendants of slaves of
the Creek tribe of Indians. and known Creek
negroes. They entitled to a share in the
division of Creek Indian lands, also part of the
trust funds. Together the seven thousand negroes
own twenty-five million acres of land. And yet
their education is far from complete Their social
environments crude in the extreme. and prog
ress goes slowly amid their huts and fields.
Unlike the other Indians of the rich five civilized
tribes Creeks insisted upon freeing their slaves
| to give them an equal share in their lands and
money At that time there few slaves, but
the number grew through descendants. until now
fully thousand have laid successful claim 10
a head right" on the Creek rolls OF citizenship
They have their own representatives in the Creek
Indian legislature, their own schools and their own
churches. Everything bids fair to make them the
model community of negroes in the United States
when Indian Territory is recovered from the
tangled wilderness of reconstruction its laws made
uniform and itself a State OF the Union,
There is little culture among the Creek negroes
They have social set all their own. to which not
even the Indians are invited Their CHARACTERISTICS
are in a great different from the negro OF
the South the North. II is mixture OF ooth
with additional pecuarities.
Like the Indians these negroes have their dances
in the open. which have come to be sort of re-
ligion with them And. following in the footsteps
of the Southern negro they have barbecues. pos
sum hunts and the like AS Northern type OF
the negro they are more industrious and indie
pendent OF the whites. know how to work hard
and their money. and. like the type from the
city, well dressed-gaudily. but at the same
time wearing expensive clothes.
These thousand Creek negroes live in
tract of rich land called the Canadian River bot
toms and Okmulgee is their town and trading
point Okmulgee is. the capital of the Creek Ind
ian nation. and has been for years a negro town.
Recently. however. white people hocked in and
have taken possession. The negroes are starting
their towns along the branch of the Frisco
railroad.
Notwithsta ldi1g that many of these Creek
groes industrious there some among them
who out their estates and lounge in idleness
about the railway stations. 1t is common sight
TO 5Do-acre tract of rich land in the Canadian
bottoms being TILED by a white Invariably.
upon inquiry to his landlord, he will refer to the
negro owner in complimentary terms. Mean
while one will find the owner shooting craps or
enjoying himself eating turkey and possum in a
When the Creeks freed their negroes in 1864 the
two fraternzed for time. and even intermarried,
the granting their freedom the Creek negroes
allowed voice in the tribal government, and
so they have their own members in the council.
have their own schools and all that; but the Creek
indian feels above the Creek negro. and refuses to
associate with him
The Creek negro has never played any important
some extent he has figured in the Creek councils
number Of creek oficias were arrested for frau
duent sale of certain warrants Of the nation. and
among these were number of educated negroes.
Some characteristic celebrations of the richest OF
American negroes cannot fail to interest those who
expect great thin6s from the black race in the
future. One of their principal diversions is the
"Busk.' the annual Offering OF the hrst fruits OF
the harvest season The ceremony taxes place IN
the open held at a date arranged by the head men
of the community. The people assemble in gala
attire. each negro striving 10 Guido his leghhor In
have assembled the night previous, four young men
enter square light fire that has been laid there
been kindled four other young blacks appear. each
bearing of green corn. After the corn mas
been consumed in the flames sour other young men.
gayly clad. enter, each bearing some new snake
root A portion of this is likewise consumed by
the flames and the rest used make decoCtion
which Is both nauseating and vile tasting This
sacred for the time being The guests or the
occasion who have been interested spectators to all
of the root. which makes them all free to par
take of their regular food.
The four days Of the session are devoted 10
dancing fasting and feasting. 1t ends with a
part in the game. and the women are spirited
bettors $500
familiar superstitions from both the Indians and
their race They educate their children in
their schools two colleges and NUMBER or
primary schools being set apart Tor thelr lIdlNluudl
use. Each negro will come into undisputed possess
sion of 500 of land when the Dawes Commits
has allotted their lands pro rata to them some
govern ment the negroes Will likewise snare equally
with the Indians in the distribution of several
bright but whether they will make the most OF
their opportunity depends upon the manner In
which they accept Statehood and equal citizenship
with whites.