Documentary on Alabama’s Poarch Band of Creek Indians to premiere APT

0
742

A new documentary about Alabama’s Poarch Band of Creek Indians will premiere on Alabama Public Television (APT) on Thursday, November 17, at 8:30 p.m. Produced by Jacksonville State University’s Longleaf Studios, “The Forgotten Creeks” can also be streamed from APT’s website and the PBS video app starting November 17. 

“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 1500s 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.

“As an APT commissioner, JSU employee, and friend of the Poarch people for nearly 30 years, it was a real honor to connect these organizations and work together to produce such an important documentary,” said Pete Conroy, director of strategic partnerships and special projects at JSU. “I particularly thank Tribal Leadership for their trust and also JSU producer and director Seth Johnson for his mastery in telling this powerful story.”

Seth Johnson, who serves as distinguished professor of graphic design and assistant dean of the College of Arts and Humanities at JSU, stated, “Producing this film was a rewarding experience. Our students were able to work alongside an accomplished film studio in the production of the film and gained valuable industry experience in doing so. We owe a significant thank you to the Poarch Creek Tribal Members that gave us their trust, welcomed us into their homes, and allowed us to tell their story.”  

The Poarch Band of Creek Indians is the only federally recognized tribe in Alabama.