Diana Fletcher
*The birth of Diana Fletcher is celebrated on this date in 1838. She was a Black Native American Seminole historian and teacher.
Born in Oklahoma (Indian Territory), her black father was born in Virginia as a slave. While still a young child, he was sold to a man who lived in Florida. He ran away and lived with the Seminole community. Though still a slave, they treated him better than his former master. He married a Seminole woman who died during the Indian Removal Act of 1830, the forced relocation of Indians to Oklahoma.
Young Fletcher learned traditional Kiowa crafts from her stepmother: sewing, cooking, tanning buffalo hides, making teepees, and basket weaving. When the members of the tribe raised enough money, they built a small school and hired her as a teacher. The African Native American schools were operated by The Five Civilized Tribes: The Creek, Chickasaw, Cherokee, Choctaw, and Seminole.
Fletcher's main success was valuing and preserving her family's history, culture, and values while learning to adjust and adapt to white American society. Because of ignorance, prejudice, and racial hostility, there was an attempt to force Black Indians to reject their heritage. Fletcher’s main accomplishment was valuing and preserving her family's history, culture, and values while, at the same time, learning to adjust and adapt to white American society. Because of ignorance, prejudice, and racial hostility, the U.S. government attempted to force Black Indians and all Native Americans to reject their heritage.
Because people like Diana maintained their traditions, we can now learn about their important contributions to the history of America. Some sources say Diana attended the Hampton Normal and Agricultural Institute in Virginia (later called the Hampton Institute), although listings of students do not reflect this. Because people like Fletcher maintained their traditions, we can now learn about their important contributions to the history of America. The details of the death of Diana Fletcher are unknown. Reference:
To Become an Elementary School Teacher
To Become a Middle School Teacher
