The Rise of the Poarch Band of Creek IndiansWhen Lou Vickery began online research into his ancestry and the history of the Poarch Creek Indians, the name Steve Travis kept popping up. Lou tracked Steve to Alexander City where they met in the basement of an Alexander City library. A three day session of information sharing followed. Not only did that meeting lead to their collaboration on “The Rise of the Poarch Band of Creek Indians,” Lou and Steve discovered they have mutual Creek ancestors from the Moniac and Rolin families. Born and raised in foreign missionary fields, Steve is among leading Creek Indian researchers in the country, but this is his first book. The book’s contents are rich and varied. “The Rise” goes back to before Europeans came to this neck of the woods, when area Creeks were known as the Wind Clan, for which the Wind Creek complex was named in 2009. Some readers will be attracted to explanations of early Poarch Creek heritage, way of life, customs and traditions. Others will be drawn to descriptions of early tribal leaders as well as those of the metis (mixed bloods). Historical figures like General Alexander McGillivray, (“Emperor of the Creek Nation”) and Billy Weatherford (“Red Eagle”) will take on flesh, bone and emotions. Like humanity since time eternal, these men and others, as well as Creek women are illustrated as having possessed both good qualities and bad. Individual battles of the Indian Wars, 1813-1814, are detailed anecdotally, as is the war’s aftermath, 1815–1837. Perhaps readers will be surprised to learn that some wealthy Creeks once owned slaves. However, according to Vickery who spoke last month at the Atmore Historical Society, Creeks themselves did not make good slaves because they were too strong-willed. Lou and Steve have included a variety of interesting photographs. There are pictures taken in late 2009 of the Wind Creek Hotel complex, but there are also numerous photos of historical interest. For instance, there is one of Chief Calvin McGhee taken in Washington, D.C., with (then) President John F. Kennedy in 1962, only a year before the young president was assassinated. Another photo shows current Chairman, Buford Rolin, and former Chairman, Eddie Tullis, as youngsters at the onset of their tribal careers. My favorite was probably taken during the 1930s and shows The Reverend Edgar Van W. Edwards, an Episcopal priest, conducting a river baptism of several Poarch Creek Indians during the tenure of missionary, Anna Macy, for whom St. Anna’s Episcopal Church in Poarch was named. Curious readers will be drawn to the original lists of names from censuses used to determine blood quantum, which later became crucial to prove tribal citizenship. Readers will also discover the explanation of why, today, some Creeks from south west Alabama are eligible to be listed on PBCI rolls—and why others are not. Also included is a list of current Tribal Council members and other leaders. The list is a virtual Who’s Who of contemporary Poarch Creek Indians. There are also explanations of businesses within CIEDA, the Creek Indian Enterprises Development Authority. No book that traces local Creek history would be accurate or authentic without information as diverse as “The Trail of Tears” and electronic gaming. Most readers will find something of interest in “The Rise of the Poarch Band of Creek Indians.” {Published 2-3-2010 in Alabama’s “atmore” magazine} "The Rise of the Poarch Band of Creek Indians" is available for purchase at Amazon.com or from Lou Vickery's website, www.scattersunshine.com, where sample chapters are also available. [Alabama native Bonnie Bartel Latino is a former freelance columnist for Stars and Stripes newspaper in Europe. She is also the recipient of the Military Writers Society of America’s 2009 People’s Choice Award.]
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