Celebrating Native American Heritage Month

11/14/23

By: C. B.

South Florida has a rich history of diverse migrant and indigenous Native American communities. In honor of Native American Heritage Month in November, follow along as we highlight our historical collection of tribal newspapers.

Native American tribal newspapers are vital platforms for preserving and promoting indigenous heritage and culture in North America. They facilitate the dissemination of historical information and native languages across generations. These publications address social, political, and environmental issues, and advocate for indigenous rights. Well-known tribal newspapers include the Navajo Times, Cherokee Phoenix, Akwesasne Notes, Native Sun News, Osage News, Seminole Tribune, and Miccosukee Everglades News.

The Miccosukee Tribe of Indians of Florida was originally part of the Creek Nation, which also represented the Seminole Tribe of Florida. Following the third Seminole War (1855-58) with the United States government, a majority of Miccosukee tribe members involuntarily relocated to west of the Mississippi River. However, a small group took refuge in South Florida’s Everglades and after several years, the Miccosukee Tribe of Indians of Florida formally became recognized by the United States government in 1962.

Since then, the remaining descendants of the Miccosukee Tribe of Indians of Florida formed the Miccosukee Everglades News in the 1980s. The Miami-Dade Public Library System’s collection of the newspaper spans from 1983-1985, covering various topics, including the Tribe's community projects, activities, environmental news, General Council elections, and more. The newspaper's content was often written by Wendy Cobourne, a non-tribal journalist who served as the editor during that period. Tribe members were frequently quoted in articles and encouraged to submit letters to the editor on community issues and contributed articles on art, events, and community resources.

The Miami-Dade Public Library System not only received approval from the Miccosukee Tribe of Indians of Florida to digitize the Miccosukee Everglades News, but also to reproduce vintage printed versions of the newspaper using more durable materials. This approach ensures that historians and researchers can freely access copies that closely resemble the original newspaper editions in terms of size, appearance, and legibility.

Click the link to explore our Miccosukee Tribe of Indians of Florida digital collection and view past newspaper editions, additional content such as videos and yearbooks, and more.