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The relationship between African and Native Americans began soon after the first African people were brought to the American shores. Escaping slaves often found refuge in the Eastern mountains among the Indians living there. 

Eventually, generations later, many of the Southeastern tribal members had adapted more and more to the European ways and began to utilize slave labor on their own farms and plantations and also in their businesses. When the fertile lands of the Five Civilized Tribes also began to produce gold, the greed of the Europeans became unbearable, and even in direct conflict with a U.S. Supreme Court order to leave the Tribal lands alone, they took them. Even though many of the tribal members had intermarried with the whites, they were all treated the same. Whatever cruel force needed to get the people out was used with no threat of punishment. Along with the tribal people who were often dragged out of their homes to stockades to await the unlawful removal to the lands West, were their African slaves and friends . . . history forgets that many black families shared this nightmare. These families were very instrumental in the settling of the new lands in Indian Territory, helping to build homes, farms and schools.

In Indian Territory, before the allotment of lands, before statehood - the mixture of races was unique as it still is in Eastern Oklahoma. The people in Indian Territory were mixes of Indian, Black and Anglo. They were industrious and usually prosperous. We were always told about how Indian Territory was used by "lawless" men to escape and we are never told about the abundant crops of wheat, cotton and corn produced and marketed.  Education, business, agriculture and human potential were thriving in Indian Territory.  Respect among the races did exist - there were no laws to hinder another person's growth.

Beginning in 1893 Congress passed a series of Acts to eliminate lands held by tribes, culminating in the Curtis Act of 1898 which legally dissolved all tribal governments in Indian Territory.  In the midst of chaos, greed and corruption prevailed.  The proud tribal people who fought against this move by Congress immediately became federal criminals - hunted down, thrown into stockades, and convicted.   Distrust was now rampant.  A short time later, when Indian Territory was swallowed up by Oklahoma Territory to form one state, the Jim Crow laws were adopted.   These acts eventually halted the growth of thriving black communities in Eastern Oklahoma.

The Sister Series paintings are my way of remembering and honoring this part of our history. Respect evolves naturally when people work together, begin to know each other, and realize that we all have the same goals for a good and peaceful life.

Jeanne Rorex Bridges

PR-SSET     Set of Five     $290.00