When European settlers arrived in the 16th century, an estimated 80 percent of the indigenous population was lost, primarily to infectious diseases. The population was further hurt by the rise of Indian slave trade in the Southeast. A century later, the Muscogee or Creek Confederacy formed, as Muskogee-speaking survivors and descendants began establishing settlements along the rivers in what is now east-central Alabama. They were self-sufficient—farming, hunting and fishing—and lived in log cabins with earthen floors. The Creek Nation’s population continued to grow, occupying a territory that covered nearly all of present-day Alabama and Georgia.

As more travelers began passing through, Europeans hoped to settle on their land. The issue ignited a tribal civil war between Creek families wanting to adopt European culture and those armed for resistance, eventually evolving into an American war against the Creek Nation. It ended with the Treaty of Fort Jackson in 1814, when General Andrew Jackson forced the surviving Creeks to cede more than 20 million acres of their territory to the U.S.

George Washington had viewed individual Native Americans as equals, but created policies to “improve” and “civilize” their society to mirror that of white Americans. Those policies continued until President Jackson began moving all Indian tribes east of the Mississippi River to Oklahoma through the Indian Removal Act of 1830. Of the 22,000 Creek Indians forced to march more than 1,000 miles west, only half made it to Oklahoma and approximately 4,000 died along the way.

Because of their loyalty to the U.S. government, a small portion of the Creek Nation avoided removal. Some stayed on their original land and some were awarded land grants. Eventually this group of families became their own tribe—the Poarch Band of Creek Indians—living in what is rural Escambia County, Alabama today. The tribe endured years of hardship and discrimination while fearing removal as non-Indian populations continued to desire their land and natural resources.

Conditions began to improve at the turn of the 20th century when the federal government halted illegal taxation of native land and outlawed the cutting of timber on grant land. Episcopal missionaries began providing medical care and spiritual counsel to the Poarch Creeks in 1929. The Poarch Consolidated School (PCS) opened in 1949 to provide a “separate but equal” education to Indian children through sixth grade, and bus service to the county junior high and high school was eventually provided. PCS closed with desegregation but reopened in the 1990s and, according to their website, “It remains open today as an important symbol of the Tribe’s history and solidarity.”

On August 11, 1984, the Poarch Creek Indians became a federally recognized tribe—the only one in the state of Alabama to this day. The tribe operates as a sovereign nation with its own system of government and bylaws. Poarch Creeks strive to secure the well-being of their tribal members and foster a spirit of independence and pride in their cultural heritage.

“Our early leaders, both formal and informal, had the foresight to reinforce our bonds as an Indian community as well as venture into business endeavors that have provided a sustainable revenue stream for the tribe,” says Zamora. “These resources enable the Poarch Creeks to not only provide for its people in the areas of housing, education and health, but also allow the tribe to assist its neighbors during times of need.” Their economic enterprises, including Wind Creek Casino resorts and OWA, a family-friendly resort destination and amusement park, employ thousands of individuals, 90 percent of which are non-Indians.

Despite facing years of injustice, the Poarch Creeks have “always fostered a steadfast desire for unity and reconciliation” and today they are seen as local leaders of charitable giving, regularly funding the arts, youth sports, senior care and emergency support services.

“Being a Tribal citizen of the Poarch Band of Creek Indians means having a connection to something bigger than just myself. It means being part of a legacy of perseverance and strength as well as a vibrant culture and history,” Zamora says. “I want future generations to know that we are not a people of yesterday that are limited to the pages of a history book or a Western on a television screen. Native Americans are a people of today.”

To learn more about the Poarch Creek Indians, visit pci-nsn.gov.

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