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Poarch Creek Documentary Premieres On Alabama Public TV
November 17, 2022
A new documentary about Alabama’s Poarch Band of Creek Indians premiered on Alabama Public Television (APT) Thursday. Produced by Jacksonville State University’s Longleaf Studios, “The Forgotten Creeks” can also be streamed from APT’s website and the PBS video app.
More than two years in the making, this documentary tells the story of the Poarch Creek people through their long and important history. It also traces how the Tribe has evolved from being an impoverished, isolated community to the independent, self-sufficient Indian nation it is today.
“We are honored that our Tribe was selected to be the subject of this documentary produced by Jacksonville State University and Alabama Public Television,” said Stephanie Bryan, Poarch Band of Creek Indians Tribal Chair. “We feel incredibly blessed to have this recounting of both our history and our lives today.”
“The Forgotten Creeks” recalls the history of Alabama’s Mvskoke Creek Indians from Spanish contact in the 1500’s through the Indian Removal Act of 1830. The documentary explores what happened to those Mvskoke Creeks who remained in Alabama following the Trail of Tears and documents those ensuing years of poverty, assimilation and discrimination that nearly destroyed their indigenous identity.
It also traces how finally, in 1984, after more than 40 years of unwavering advocacy by Tribal Leaders, the federal government recognized the Tribe as a sovereign, or independent, Indian nation with ancestral lands in Atmore, Alabama and elsewhere in the state. Federal recognition was the beginning of a new chapter in the Tribe’s history. Economic development brought self-sufficiency and the Tribe’s focus on educational opportunities, family values, and faith guided its transition to prosperity.
Comments
One Response to “Poarch Creek Documentary Premieres On Alabama Public TV”
Enjoyed learning about my neighbors to the north. Heartbreaking to see the struggles they had just to be recognized. Definitely recommend watching with school age children too.