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October 26, 2004

The Freedmen: Silas Jefferson

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The Freedmen: Silas Jefferson … KEYWORDS:Silas Jefferson freedmen black indians black Muskogee Nation black indian leader freemen who lived with Indians Muskogee Nation indian history Oklahoma Freedmen African-Native people green peach war

A significant number of Afro-Americans escaped or fled from slavery and eventually settled in the West, where they were adopted by Indian tribes and accepted into the tribal structure as equals. Many even assumed roles of leadership. Silas Jefferson, was one of the team of dynamic African leaders of the Muskogee Nation.

He was sometimes known as Tucker or Ducker, also. On more than one occasion, Silas Jefferson accompanied the Muskogee delegation to Washington DC. Being fully bilingual, he served as a an interpreter for the delegation, and he also worked for the conservative party in the Nation.

Jefferson was often considered to be a dependable person, because of his language skill and because he could also speak to people his leaders considered to be “insurgents”. He was included as part of the Creek delegation to negotiate terms with the rebels during the Green Peach War.

Silas Jefferson is one of the few African identified in tribal pictures from the nation, although he was one of several Africans who served their nation with honor and distinction.

Pertinent details about his life are sketchy but as they become available, they shall be posted here for future reference.

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