S2.Ep 11-Black Indians: A Hidden Heritage

In this podcast episode,  Black history educator  Brittany Wilkins delves into the rich history of Black Indians, shedding light on individuals with dual Indigenous and African ancestry. Explore the stories of notable Black Indians and learn about the intriguing historical intersection between Indigenous communities and Africans, including the first U.S. colony that forged a unique relationship between these two groups. Join us as we uncover the compelling narratives that contribute to the diverse tapestry of Black history in America.

Transcript

I.Introduction

Welcome to Season 2 of The Coin: Black History on  Other Side. I'm your host Brittany Wilkins author, black history educator, and founder of Historians Connect.  November is native American heritage month observe to honor and celebrate the rich history, diverse cultures and contributions of Native American people's. In today's show I would like to invite our listeners to explore the topic of Black Indians-a hidden heritage that deserves attention and understanding.  

 II.Defining Black Indians

In the context of history the relationship between Indians and Europeans has been explored thoroughly, as well as the relationship between African Americans and Europeans. Interestingly enough the relationship between Native Americans and African Americans has been neglected. In 1920 Carter G Woodson called it one of the longest unwritten chapters in the history of the United States. Like African Americans black Indians have been treated by writers of history as invincible.  When Author William Katz wrote Black Indians he was seeking to introduce a new chapter of history shining a light on a forgotten  heritage. So you might be wondering who are black Indians? They're people who have a dual ancestry or black people who lived for some time with native Americans. 

 III.Notable Black Indians with Dual Ancestry

Unveiling this hidden history we come to learn about notable black Indians such as Crispus Attucks who was a sailor of dual African and indigenous history, becoming an important figure of history for his bravery and courage putting his life on the line in Boston Massacre March 5, 1770. Paul Cuffee a Dartmouth Indian with African lineage was a successful and wealthy merchant and ship owner. He not only worked for his best interest, but the betterment of his people advocating for the protection of his fellow African Americans from discrimination  in the United States. He was the first black man to sponsor migration of African Americans to Africa. In 1815 he personally paid and led thirty eight settlers abroad his ship Travellor to the Sierra Leone. Langston Hughes one of the most prolific black voices during the Harlem Renaissance known for his poetry plays, short stories, novels, and newspaper columns traced his family tree back to Pocahontas.

 IV. The Forging of A Relationship 

The author delves into the forging of a relationship between Indians and Africans, tracing its origins back to the first European ship landing in the New World. While the author raises awareness about the diversity resulting from the blending of races, I challenge the Eurocentric perspective that frames the history between Native Americans and African Americans solely within the context of slavery. A previous episode, "They Came Before Columbus," explored evidence of Africans in the Americas before European contact, highlighting trade between Africans and Native Americans.

Furthering the discussion, "Black Indians" educates readers about the first U.S. foreign colony not documented in American history books. In June 1526, a Spanish city official founded a colony near the Pee Dee River in eastern South Carolina. This was eight decades before Jamestown, and a century before the Mayflower landed at Plymouth Rock. Lucas Vasquez de Allyon the Spanish official employed Captain Francisco Gordillo to scout the site and build friendly relations with the local habitants. Ignoring his orders Captain Gordillo partnered with slave hunter captured seventy native American and transporting them back to Santo Domingo as slaves. The enslavement of Native Americans did not still well with Lucas, who raised the issue to Diego Columbus, where Indians were declared free and ordered to return. Very interesting that Lucas tried to make amends with the Indians, he was even advised by the King of Spain to treat the Indians well, but on his expedition to North American one of his vessels carried one hundred enslaved Africans. Expressing no compassion toward the African race he ordered Africans to begin building homes on a settlement which he called San Miguel De Guadalupe. This was the beginning of slavery. Karma would take its toll as disease, starvation, and power struggles begin to dismantle the settlement. Not living to see his settlement come to fruition, Lucas Vasquez passes away after becoming extremely ill. Without a true successor all hell broke loose. Africans rebelled and fled to the Indians. Indians sided with African as they became  came angry over Spaniards using their land. Not having the essentials to surviving the remaining 150 Spanish men and women left the U.S. African remained to build their own society with Native Americans. A new community emerged with a mixed settlement.  Black Indians of the Pee Dee River became the first colony on the continent to practice the belief that all people newcomers and native are equal and are entitled to life, liberty, and the pursuit of happiness.  The rest is history, but there is more to this hidden heritage of black Indians that is worth exploring. I encourage you to learn about history that spans across different cultures and learning how we are interconnected. I will leave you with this quote from the text to ponder "Those who assume that a people have no history worth mentioning are likely to believe they have no humanity worth defending. A historical legacy strengthens a country and its people. Denying a people's heritage questions their legitimacy. 

 Source: Black Indians-A Hidden Heritage by William Katz