OH Grant-Funded Programs
Cherokee Nation Dawes Commission Freedman Exhibit
907 N. Garrison Avenue, Fort Gibson, OK November 16, 2024 - February 28, 2025 Tuesday through Saturday, 10:00 a.m. to 4:30 p.m.
Event Details
In 1893, Black Americans formerly enslaved in Indian Territory gathered on site in a temporary community where they were able to catch up with old acquaintances, some of whom they had likely not seen since the Civil War ripped through Indian Territory. As enrollment included land allotments, many could look toward a more secure future as members of Native Nations. By the close of the Dawes Commission, 23,415 Freedmen were considered eligible for allotments and the vast majority were placed on Freedman rolls whether they were Black Natives or not. Visitors will learn about the Dawes Commission and it's impact on Freedmen, experience glimpses of life in 1898, and connect those experiences to current events.