Eye for an Eye: The Role of Armed Resistance ... - Freedom Archives

migrated to Oklahoma. In 1855, a three-year conflict began between American
military forces and Seminoles and African maroons . While some of these combat-
ants were rounded up and removed from Florida, the entire Seminole/African
maroon community was never completely uprooted. Even in the West, conflict
would continue with the Seminoles and their African allies . In 1850, convinced
that the liberty of the Africans was in jeopardy, 300 African maroons and Semi-
nole allies moved to northern Mexico (near Santa Rosa) where they continued
their resistance against the slavers of Texas .'S
African alliances with the Seminoles is the best of numerous examples of
Red/Black solidarity and resistance . The influence and role of African/indigenous
solidarity is essential to establishing a tradition of armed Black resistance in the
U .S.A. While Red/Black solidarity was certainly economic and cultural, it was
most definitely a military alliance . Both entities saw the necessity of solidarity to
confront a common enemy. African maroons realized their freedom was in jeop-
ardy and that the slaveholding society would use any means to recapture what it
considered property. To maintain their liberty in the Western hemisphere, it was
necessary to defend themselves . To return and liberate others it was necessary to
master guerilla tactics . It is obvious the union between Africans and indigenous
peoples only enhanced the African's ability to resist . Certainly much was contrib-
uted by the Native nations to Black resistance in terms of skills, training, re-
sources, as well as inspiration . To those who remained in captivity, these alliances
were probably beacons of hope that freedom was possible . It is also important to
view Africans as conscious agents in their alliances with Native nations . In their
relations with the Seminoles and other indigenous nations, African maroons were