Image: John Horse or Juan Caballo, Leader of the Black Seminoles, or Seminole Maroons, in Florida, Texas and Mexico, from 1848 engraving)
by Windy Goodloe, Secretary, Seminole Indian Scouts Cemetery Association
In 2019, Dr. Anthony Dixon was our Friday Lecture Speaker for Seminole Days. We were in desperate need of a speaker for this event, and he graciously accepted the offer to visit Brackettville (sight unseen) and speak. What we knew about Dr. Dixon was that he had written a book about the Second Seminole War and the role Black Seminoles played in it. What we didn’t know was how passionate he was about Black Seminoles and making sure that he is always of service to our community.
Dr. Dixon’s presentation riveted the crowd, so much so that people still talk about it. He reminded the Black Seminoles in the audience about who we came from and how hard and resolutely our ancestors fought. He did not mince words.
Following his speech, he continued to keep in touch with our community. He is a protector and an ally of our history.
Dr. Dixon is a native of Fort Valley, Georgia. In 1994, he received his B.S. in History with a minor in African American Studies from Florida A&M University. In 2001, he received his M.A.S.S. (Masters of Applied Social Science) from Florida A&M University with a concentration in History. In 2001, he received a doctoral fellowship from Indiana University’s History Department where he majored in the African Diaspora. His studies included African American History and African History, with a minor in Library Science (specifically Special Collections and Archives). In 2006, he became a Visiting Professor at Florida A&M University, as well as the Head Archivist and Historian for the John G. Riley Museum. In the following year (2007), he completed his dissertation entitled “Black Seminole Involvement and Leadership during the Second Seminole War, 1835-1842”, and received his Ph.D. in History from Indiana University. In 2019, he received a Master’s of (Library and)Information Science from Florida State University. Currently he is the President of Archival and Historical Research Associates.
Dr. Dixon has also published two public history books. Florida’s Negro War: Black Seminoles and the Second Seminole War was released in the spring of 2014. This work is a historical piece that examines the Black Seminole leadership and Involvement in the Second Seminole War. Florida’s Negro War also re-examines the War in the context of a slave rebellion. In the fall of the same year (2014), Dr. Dixon published his third book, Florida’s African Diaspora Timeline. This book was created with the ideals of assisting in the infusion of Florida’s Black history into the public educational system. Dr. Dixon feels that the more pride our young African Americans have in themselves, the more inclined they are to succeed.
In September 2023, Dr. Dixon attended our last Seminole Days. He came to Brackettville because he wanted to announce and seek support and approval from the community for The Black Seminole Project, which is a dual visual endeavor that will culminate in a documentary and a feature film.
Dr. Dixon and director Zarian Hadley are currently working on their documentary, which is slated to be completed in May 2024. Immediately upon completion of the documentary, they will begin filming the feature film, which will be based on Dr. Dixon’s book Florida’s Negro War: Black Seminoles and the Second Seminole War 1835-1842. Both projects seek to enlighten viewers about the Black Seminoles. The documentary will go the extra mile by providing history and illuminating the issues that our community faces today. Ultimately, the goal of The Black Seminole Project is unity. This project will show, through telling the story of the first underground railroad and the largest rebellion of enslaved Africans in the United States, all that can be accomplished when people come together. For more information, please visittheblackseminoleproject.com.
