Freedom: 1850 - 1882

In the final decades of John Horse's life, the Black Seminoles and their leader realized a legacy as pioneers of American liberty. In northern Mexico, Texas slave raiders and vengeful Plains Indians paved a hard road to freedom. At the same time, the Black Seminoles had their greatest impact on U.S. history, in absentia, when their case offered a precedent for the emancipation of the southern slaves. After the U.S. Civil War, despite success in the Mexican army, John Horse returned to Texas, where his followers played a key role in pacifying the frontier. But the Black Seminoles soon found themselves once again on the wrong side of an American border. Narrowly escaping an assassination attempt, John Horse returned to Mexico. From there, he set out in 1882 on his final journey to try and secure a homeland for his people.