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115-666: The museum opened in 1997. It has been designated a Smithsonian Institution Affiliate. The Museum was accredited by the American Association of Museums in 2009 and it was the first tribally owned museum to receive this title. The Ah-Tah-Thi-Ki Seminole Indian Museum Oral History Program preserves Seminole history, memory, and culture by recording the spoken word. The oral history collection includes interviews conducted in Miccosukee and Mvskoke language . These interviews can be translated into English but only when it

230-584: A botanical garden, and a museum that was designed to have a national and permanent status. The former occupied space where the present Botanic Garden sits. The museum contained specimens of zoology, botany, archeology, fossils, etc., some of which were passed on to the Smithsonian Institution after its formation. The institute's charter expired in 1838, but its spirit lived on in the National Institution , founded in 1840. With

345-408: A business and corporate regulatory commission, several family services, a food distribution program, environmental protection program, and social service programs. They issue their own tribal vehicle tags . In addition, the tribe administers their share of the judgment trust from the 1990 land claim settlement, from which members can draw for educational and other benefits. Their annual economic impact

460-684: A century. The Miccosukee and Traditionals initially opposed settling for claims rather than seek the return of land. By this time the Seminole Tribe of Florida and the Miccosukee Tribe of Indians of Florida had achieved federal recognition and the Traditionals had legal representation. Richmond Tiger was Principal Chief of the Seminole Nation of Oklahoma. The settlement was put into trust earning interest. In 1990,

575-574: A federal plan to encourage subsistence farming and assimilation. Numerous interests wanted to extinguish the communal tribal lands to gain admission of Oklahoma (including Indian Territory) as a state. In 1900 the Seminole Freedmen numbered about 1,000, nearly one-third of the total Seminole tribe in Oklahoma. The Dawes Commission established two separate registration rolls for Seminole Indians and Freedmen. They became United States citizens in

690-864: A new treaty with the US government. These included allocating a portion of their reservation for the Seminole Freedmen following emancipation of slaves in Indian Territory in 1866. The treaty granted the Black Seminoles who chose to stay on the reservation full citizenship in the tribe. As they had in Florida, the Seminole strongly discouraged intermarriage with whites or adoption of European-American ways. In 1900 they were still mostly full bloods. They generally had little intermarriage with

805-591: A paid, one-month internship. Pilar O'Leary launched the program when she served as executive director of the Smithsonian Latino Center. According to the Latino Center, O'Leary told the press in 2007: "Our goal is to help our Young Ambassadors become the next generation of leaders in the arts and culture fields. This program encourages students to be proud of their roots and learn more about their cultural heritage to inspire them to educate

920-538: A process that requires lots of consideration and care, and these efforts are to ensure that the artifact will remain intact for as long as possible, while still being integrated into the Ah-Tah-Thi-Ki museum as a useful resource. The museum hosts a collection of nearly 200,000 items, and rotates what items are on display and which are held in storage. These items include patchwork clothing, dolls, baskets, beadwork, sculptures, paintings, and more. Each exhibit within

1035-473: A racially segregated state. The Seminole Freedmen suffered extra legal discrimination and restrictions in the state. Some left for Canada or other states. The segregation of the larger society drove a wedge between the communities. The Freedmen quickly lost land through unscrupulous land sharks, as their land sales were not supervised by the Indian Bureau. The Seminole also lost land, sometimes through

1150-688: A variety of documents including archives and random images related to the Seminole Tribe and other tribes. This database can be searched by category (i.e. photos, objects, archives, etc.), keyword, or advanced based on subject, title, or other criteria. The Seminole Museum has an Education Division. The museum offers a range number of curricula programming that helps Seminole Trial members and non-tribal members learn about and engage with Seminole stories, history, and culture. This specific division includes tours and programs that support students (and other interested individuals) in learning and understanding

1265-459: A weekly radio program every Tuesday at 11 am on KWSH 1260AM. An interactive website, located at www.sno-nsn.gov, is updated regularly. For Seminole people who continue to observe traditional cultural ceremonial practices, life revolves around a cycle of ritual activities at the "ceremonial or stomp grounds." In modern times, these places of communion are where ceremonial dances, dinners, and ball games take place, mainly during weekends throughout

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1380-527: A year and includes as ex officio members the chief justice of the United States and the vice president of the United States . The nominal head of the institution is the chancellor , an office which has traditionally been held by the chief justice. In September 2007, the board created the position of chair of the Board of Regents, a position currently held by Risa Lavizzo-Mourey . Other members of

1495-576: A zoo, and historical and architectural landmarks, mostly located in Washington, D.C. Additional facilities are located in Maryland , New York , and Virginia . More than 200 institutions and museums in 47 states , Puerto Rico , and Panama are Smithsonian Affiliates . Institution publications include Smithsonian and Air & Space magazines. Almost all of the institution's 30 million annual visitors are admitted without charge,

1610-637: Is 5,485. As of the Spring of 2022, the Chief was Lewis Johnson. The 1898 Curtis Act threatened the existence of the tribe's government, but Congress continued the recognition of tribal governments indefinitely in 1906. With the Indian Citizenship Act of 1924 , the Seminole became US citizens and received some services from the Bureau of Indian Affairs (BIA). Having enjoyed a unique alliance,

1725-484: Is accompanied by "scratching" of the participants' bodies. Generally administered to the arms and legs, but not limited to these areas, "scratching" is performed to alleviate spiritual and medical ailments by strengthening the individual. Green Corn can be likened to the combined equivalent of the European-American holidays of Thanksgiving, New Year's and Easter. During Green Corn, strained relationships among

1840-568: Is approved and accepted by the Seminole Tribal citizens. This collection includes a variety of VHS, DVD, CD, audio cassette tapes, DAT tapes, reel-to-reel, BETA, and other types of media documentation. The museum maintains the Seminole Indian Library and Archives in order to preserve and make accessible Seminole and Native American history for use by scholars and the general public. Holdings include: The library of

1955-408: Is great for all ages, but is also a great event to bring students on a field trip. The museum publishes a quarterly newsletter, Ah-Tah-Thi-Ki Quarterly , which is available to members of the museum. However, the museum does upload the annual report edition of the newsletter to the website, where you can read about what big events have happened at the museum in the last year, how they have engaged with

2070-665: Is headquartered in Wewoka within Seminole County, Oklahoma . Of 18,800 enrolled tribal citizens, 13,533 live in Oklahoma. The tribe began to revive its government in 1936 under the Indian Reorganization Act . While its reservation was originally larger, today the tribal reservation and jurisdictional area covers Seminole County, Oklahoma , within which it has a variety of properties. The few hundred Seminoles remaining in Florida fought against US forces in

2185-469: Is interested, might be interested or ought to be interested". Another Secretary of the Smithsonian, Walter Boyne, founded Air & Space . The organization publishes under the imprints Smithsonian Institution Press, Smithsonian Books, and Smithsonian Institution Scholarly Press. The Smithsonian makes a number of awards to acknowledge and support meritorious work. The Smithsonian Institution

2300-517: Is now Seminole County, a roughly 15-mile strip between the Canadian River and North Canadian River , a total of 360,000 acres (1,500 km ). The United States urged the Indians on reservations to adopt subsistence agriculture, but less than half the land was good for agriculture, and a third was not useful for stock raising or agriculture. The Black Seminoles again developed towns near

2415-536: Is provided. Estimated attendance is 10,000. The Mekusukey Mission has RV campsite facilities available year-round for a nominal fee. Also at the Mission are softball fields and a gymnasium, where tribal members hold athletic and cultural events year round. Traditional dances are held throughout the spring and summer months at ceremonial grounds. Visitors are reminded to treat cultural ceremonies and grounds with utmost respect and decorum. Invited attendees must adhere to

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2530-438: Is the primary language of most of the Seminole Nation of Oklahoma. The tribe is establishing a Seminole Nation Language Program to revitalize its traditional Creek language. Today, the tribe manages 372 acres (1.51 km ) of land held in trust by the federal government as their reservation. They have approximately 53 acres (0.21 km ) of fee-simple land. An additional 35,443 acres (143.43 km ) are allotted to supplement

2645-499: Is the site of several Seminole Nation programs and services. The Mekusukey Mission (which includes tribal offices, recreational areas, industrial and commercial areas, and a cultural area) is located 2 miles south and 2 miles west of the city of Seminole . By 1961 the Oklahoma and Florida Seminole independently filed claims with the Indian Claims Commission for compensation for lands seized in Florida in 1823 at

2760-544: The Marquis de Lafayette . Operating expenses were covered from the $ 5 yearly dues collected from each member. The institute proposed a number of undertakings. These included the study of plant life and the creation of a botanical garden on the Capitol Mall , an examination of the country's mineral production, improvement in the management and care of livestock, and the writing of a topographical and statistical history of

2875-777: The National Museum of African Art and the Arthur M. Sackler Gallery opened in a new, joint, underground museum between the Freer Gallery and the Smithsonian Castle. Reuse of another old building came in 1993 with the opening of the National Postal Museum in the 1904 former City Post Office building, a few city blocks from the Mall. In 2004, the Smithsonian opened the National Museum of

2990-661: The National Museum of African Art , as well as the National Gallery of Art , were formally returned to Nigerian cultural officials in a ceremony held in Washington D.C. The Nigerian Minister of Information and Culture, Lai Mohammed , and Prince Aghatise Erediauwa, representing the Oba of Benin Kingdom, spoke at the ceremony. Mohammed said the "decision to return the timeless artworks is worth emulating." In February 2020,

3105-498: The Renwick Gallery . A smaller amount of funds would go to educational initiatives and digitization of collections. As of September 2017, the Smithsonian claimed to have raised $ 1.79 billion, with three months left in the formal campaign calendar. Separately from the major capital campaign, the Smithsonian has begun fundraising through Kickstarter . An example is a campaign to fund the preservation and maintenance of

3220-484: The Seminole Nation of Oklahoma and the Miccosukee Tribe of Indians of Florida . A small group of about 300-700 Seminole people resisted the relocation and remained in Florida. This small group of Seminole people continued with their ancestral legacy by practicing their cultural traditions and relying on matriarchal clans, and after much anticipation, in 1957, the Seminole Tribe was finally recognized federally as

3335-589: The Seminole maroons , who were recognized as having their own distinct culture. As the Seminole had a matrilineal kinship system, they believed children belonged to their mother's people. Mixed-race children belonged to the mother's people, whichever race that was. Following the Seminole Agreement of 1909, the Seminole lands were allotted to individual households registered on the Dawes Rolls , in

3450-541: The Smithsonian American Women's History Museum . In 2011, the Smithsonian undertook its first-ever capital fundraising campaign. The $ 1.5 billion effort raised $ 1 billion at the three-year mark. Smithsonian officials made the campaign public in October 2014 in an effort to raise the remaining $ 500 million. More than 60,000 individuals and organizations donated money to the campaign by

3565-632: The South Pacific Ocean . These specimens and artifacts became part of the Smithsonian collections, as did those collected by several military and civilian surveys of the American West , including the Mexican Boundary Survey and Pacific Railroad Surveys , which assembled many Native American artifacts and natural history specimens. In 1846, the regents developed a plan for weather observation; in 1847, money

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3680-669: The U.S. government "for the increase and diffusion of knowledge." Founded on August 10, 1846, it operates as a trust instrumentality and is not formally a part of any of the three branches of the federal government . The institution is named after its founding donor, British scientist James Smithson . It was originally organized as the United States National Museum , but that name ceased to exist administratively in 1967. The Smithsonian Institution has historical holdings of over 157 million items, 21 museums, 21 libraries, 14 education and research centers,

3795-502: The U.S. state of Oklahoma . It is the largest of the three federally recognized Seminole governments, which include the Seminole Tribe of Florida and the Miccosukee Tribe of Indians of Florida . Its citizens are descendants of the approximately 3,000 Seminoles who were forcibly removed from Florida to Indian Territory , along with 800 Black Seminoles , after the Second Seminole War . The Seminole Nation of Oklahoma

3910-458: The deaccession and restitution of items collected under circumstances considered unethical by contemporary standards and thus places moral over legal arguments. A month before, the Smithsonian's National Museum of African Art had announced the planned return of most of its 39 Benin Bronzes to Nigeria , as well as of other cultural items to Turkey . On October 11, 2022, Benin Bronzes from

4025-542: The privilege of the floor at the United States Senate . On September 18, 2013, Secretary G. Wayne Clough announced he would retire in October 2014. The Smithsonian Board of Regents said it asked regent John McCarter, Jr., to lead a search committee. On March 10, 2014, the Smithsonian Board selected David Skorton , a physician and president of Cornell University , as the thirteenth secretary of

4140-1074: The ruby slippers worn by Judy Garland for her role as Dorothy Gale in the 1939 film The Wizard of Oz . Nineteen museums and galleries, as well as the National Zoological Park , comprise the Smithsonian museums. Eleven are on the National Mall , the park that runs between the Lincoln Memorial and the United States Capitol . Other museums are located elsewhere in Washington, D.C., with two more in New York City and one in Chantilly, Virginia . The Smithsonian has close ties with 168 other museums in 39 states, Panama , and Puerto Rico . These museums are known as Smithsonian Affiliated museums. Collections of artifacts are given to these museums in

4255-510: The Ah-Tah-Thi-Ki Seminole Museum has 375 linear feet of shelves. Individuals, including researchers, can use these items in the library, but these cannot be borrowed or accessed outside the library's domain. The Seminole museum has a conservation program. The purpose of the conservation program is to examine, document, and treat any artifact that belongs to the Seminole heritage and culture. The conservation efforts are

4370-611: The American Indian in a new building near the United States Capitol . Twelve years later almost to the day, in 2016, the latest museum opened: the National Museum of African American History and Culture , in a new building near the Washington Monument . Two more museums have been established and are being planned for eventual construction on the mall: the National Museum of the American Latino and

4485-567: The Board of Regents are three members of the U.S. House of Representatives appointed by the speaker of the House ; three members of the Senate, appointed by the president pro tempore of the Senate ; and nine citizen members, nominated by the board and approved by the Congress in a joint resolution signed by the president of the United States. Regents who are senators or representatives serve for

4600-613: The Department of Interior in 1996. The BIA noted that, as legal citizens of the Seminole Nation since 1866, the Freedmen were supposed to share in all benefits. Their case was dismissed from federal district court, which said the Freedmen could not bring suit without the Seminole Nation's joining. Their appeal at that level also lost, and in 2004, the US Supreme Court affirmed that they could not sue without participation of

4715-1091: The District of Columbia rejected the Nation's arguments and restored the Freedmen membership and voting rights. Tribal headquarters are located in Wewoka, Oklahoma , the seat of Seminole County. The general council meets at the council house on the Mekusukey Mission Tribal Grounds south of Seminole. The Nation has been developing a new tribal constitution that will eliminate the role of the Bureau of Indian Affairs (BIA) in tribal government operations. Tribal government departments include administrative, executive, fiscal affairs, treasury, domestic violence, Indian Child Welfare, family and social services, enrollment, gaming, housing, education, language, communications, elder services, environmental, law enforcement, dialysis, youth, child care, roads, and Head start. Tribal departments are funded with either tribal revenue or federal/ state funding. Historically,

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4830-578: The First Seminole War beginning in 1818, to reduce Seminole raids on Georgia communities and to break up armed black communities. In 1821 the US acquired Florida from Spain. White settlers, in search for additional fertile land, pressured government to move the Seminole. In 1823 the US forced most of the Seminole from northern areas of the territory to a reservation in central Florida under the Treaty of Moultrie Creek . Seminoles continued to leave

4945-602: The GDP at the time it may be more comparable to $ 220 million in the year 2007. Once the money was in hand, eight years of congressional haggling ensued over how to interpret Smithson's rather vague mandate "for the increase and diffusion of knowledge." The money was invested by the US Treasury in bonds issued by the state of Arkansas, which soon defaulted. After heated debate, Massachusetts representative (and former president) John Quincy Adams persuaded Congress to restore

5060-517: The Nation. In the meantime, in 2000, the Seminole Nation voted to restrict members to those of one-eighth blood quantum , essentially those with documented descent from ancestors listed as Seminole-Indian on the Dawes Rolls . This excluded numerous Freedmen who, although descending from an Indian ancestor, had only a Freedman ancestor listed on the Rolls. The registrars had tended to classify all persons of visible African ancestry as Freedmen, even if

5175-510: The National Museum of African-American Heritage and Culture. The opening of the center was prompted, in part, by the publishing of a report called "Willful Neglect: The Smithsonian and U.S. Latinos". According to documents obtained by The Washington Post , when former Latino Center executive director Pilar O'Leary first took the job, the center faced employees who had "serious performance issues". No performance plans existed for

5290-579: The Oklahoma and Florida Seminole developed independently and had little contact for nearly 100 years. By the terms of a 1832 treaty, Seminole people were initially forced to share a reservation with the Muscogee Nation , however in 1845 United States promised to give the Seminole people their own reservation. Micanopy , who had been principal chief since 1825, led the Seminole struggle to gain an independent reservation which succeeded in 1856. He died in 1849, after separate lands had been promised by

5405-781: The Ribbon Dance occurs. Friday is also the day of the Yvnvsv 'Pvnkv (Buffalo Dance) for those ceremonial grounds whose dancers perform this dance. The signature dance, which takes place during the day on Saturday, is the Cetvhayv 'Pvnkv , or the Feather Dance, as it is commonly referred to in English. During Green Corn, as well as the other ceremonies, the participating members commit to dancing, fasting, medicine taking, work and other ritual activities. The purifying herbal medicine

5520-577: The Seminole Nation of Oklahoma derives from the ethnogenesis of the tribe in Florida. The Seminole were composed of Indigenous American peoples who migrated into Florida after most of the original indigenous tribes had declined or moved. The Spanish explorer Pedro Menéndez de Avilés founded St. Augustine in 1565, the first permanent settlement in Florida after at least 60 years of sporadic Spanish visitation, he discovered complex indigenous cultures whose people lived by hunting, fishing, farming and raising stock. Tribes from three different basic language groups:

5635-535: The Seminole Tribe of Florida. When the Spanish arrived in Florida, they met the Miccosukee people, which were the ancestors of the Seminole Tribe. Initially, the Seminole tribe continued with their way of living by trading (with other tribes and colonists) and practicing their traditions, but eventually, the United States would start encroaching onto their land, igniting the first disputes between Native people and

5750-416: The Seminole as they had in the Florida frontier. Except for the struggle to protect their people against slave raiders from outside their communities, they enjoyed good relations with the Seminole. After the American Civil War, in which many Seminole, including John Frippo Brown last Principal Chief of the Seminole Nation , had allied with the Confederacy , they were forced to make some land cessions under

5865-459: The Seminole peoples' culture and history. The division is not just limited to onsite tours and programs- it also has online accessible educational resources that teachers and students in the classroom can utilize. The Ah-Tah-Thi-Ki Museum hosts the American Indian Arts Celebration (AIAC), where visitors can "enjoy traditional and contemporary arts and crafts, dance, music, food, special presentations, wildlife shows, Native vendors," and more. The AIAC

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5980-451: The Seminole spoke two mutually unintelligible Muskogean languages , Mikasuki (Mekusukey) and Creek . Creek was the dominant language in politics and society, so Mikasuki speakers also learned Creek. As of 2002, about one-quarter of the tribe still spoke Creek, and most of these, English; the remainder spoke only English. Mikasuki is extinct in Oklahoma (the latter is spoken among a majority of Miccosukee and Seminole in Florida). English

6095-470: The Seminoles (mostly full-blood) and the Seminole Freedmen became part of the segregated state of Oklahoma, which adversely affected their relations. Under the Indian Reorganization Act of 1934 , the Seminoles reorganized their government. At the time some who had been opposed to Freedmen being allocated land also opposed their participation in government. As the Seminole Nation developed their constitution, some members wanted to exclude Seminole Maroons from

6210-416: The Smithsonian Libraries and Smithsonian Archives merged into one research center in 2020. The Smithsonian Institution includes three cultural centers among its units: In 1997, the Smithsonian Latino Center was created as a way to recognize Latinos across the Smithsonian Institution. The primary purpose of the center is to place Latino contributions to the arts, history, science, and national culture across

6325-531: The Smithsonian and funds to build the museum to hold it (which was named the Freer Gallery ), it was among the Smithsonian's first major donations from a private individual. The gallery opened in 1923. More than 40 years would pass before the next museum, the Museum of History and Technology (renamed the National Museum of American History in 1980), opened in 1964. It was designed by the world-renowned firm of McKim, Mead & White . The Anacostia Community Museum , an "experimental store-front" museum created at

6440-442: The Smithsonian made 2.8 million digital items available to the public under a Creative Commons Zero Public Domain Dedication, with a commitment to release further items in the future. The Smithsonian has eight research centers, located in Washington, D.C.; Front Royal, Virginia ; Edgewater, Maryland ; Suitland, Maryland ; Fort Pierce, Florida ; Cambridge, Massachusetts ; and Panama . Formerly two separate entities,

6555-528: The Smithsonian's Department of Living Animals. The park was designed by landscape architect Frederick Law Olmsted . The National Museum of Natural History opened in June 1911 to similarly accommodate the Smithsonian's United States National Museum, which had previously been housed in the Castle and then the Arts and Industries Building. This structure was designed by the D.C. architectural firm of Hornblower & Marshall . When Detroit philanthropist Charles Lang Freer donated his private collection to

6670-411: The Smithsonian's museums and research centers. The center is a division of the Smithsonian Institution. As of May 2016, the center is run by an executive director, Eduardo Díaz. At the time of its creation, the Smithsonian Institution had other entities dedicated to other minority groups: National Museum of the American Indian, Freer-Sackler Gallery for Asian Arts and Culture, African Art Museum, and

6785-416: The Smithsonian, slightly increased from previous years. Institution exhibits are free of charge, though in 2010 the Deficit Commission recommended admission fees. As approved by Congress on August 10, 1846, the legislation that created the Smithsonian Institution called for the creation of a Board of Regents to govern and administer the organization. This seventeen-member board meets at least four times

6900-532: The Smithsonian. Though the Smithsonian's first secretary, Joseph Henry , wanted the institution to be a center for scientific research, it also became the depository for various Washington and U.S. government collections. The United States Exploring Expedition by the U.S. Navy circumnavigated the globe between 1838 and 1842. The voyage amassed thousands of animal specimens, an herbarium of 50,000 plant specimens, and diverse shells and minerals, tropical birds, jars of seawater, and ethnographic artifacts from

7015-427: The Smithsonian. Skorton took the reins of the institution on July 1, 2015. Upon Skorton's announced resignation in 2019, the Board selected Lonnie Bunch III , the founding director of the Smithsonian's National Museum of African American History and Culture , as the fourteenth secretary. Seminole Nation of Oklahoma The Seminole Nation of Oklahoma is a federally recognized Native American tribe based in

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7130-448: The Third Seminole war, and peace was made without their defeat. Today, descendants of those people have formed two federally recognized Seminole tribes. Together, the three tribes and unorganized Traditionals in Florida were awarded a land claims settlement valued in total at $ 16 million in 1976, for nearly 24 million acres of lands seized by the United States government in Florida in 1823; amounting to roughly $ 0.67 an acre. The history of

7245-739: The Timuquan, Calusan and Muskhogean, occupied Florida and lived in small and well-organized villages. Although today the term Seminole is used, this name originated due to a European misnomer, which categorized a diverse group of autonomous tribes together under the name Seminole. The Spanish first recognized the speakers of the "core language" Mvskoke, and called them cimarrones, or "free people" (Seminole). Translated through several languages to English, this term came to apply to all of Florida's 18th-century inhabitants, and their neighbors who later fled to join them under pressure of European encroachment into their territories. The Seminole absorbed remnants of other Florida tribes into their own. The Oconee were

7360-444: The US for 1855. His sister's sons, John Jumper (1849–1853) and Jim Jumper (1853–1866), succeeded him as principal chiefs before the US began to interfere with tribal government. While the Seminole maintained political independence from the Creek, the two peoples became closer through the 19th and early 20th centuries, as they shared strong cultural traditions and began to intermarry. The Seminole reservation originally encompassed what

7475-414: The United States. Reports were to be published periodically to share this knowledge with the greater public, but due to a lack of funds, this initially did not occur. The institute first met in Blodget's Hotel, later in the Treasury Department and City Hall, before being assigned a permanent home in 1824 in the Capitol building. Beginning in 1825, weekly sittings were arranged during sessions of Congress for

7590-436: The actions of overseers who were supposed to help them. Today the Seminole Nation of Oklahoma is located in Seminole County, Oklahoma . The entire county of Seminole is a portion of the original Seminole Nation jurisdiction, and covers approximately 633 square miles. The county is a checkerboard of tribal trust property, Indian allotments, restricted Indian lands, and dependent Indian communities. Native Americans make up 22% of

7705-449: The basis of the Seminole political and religious life. Each band has an elected band chief and assistant band chief and meets monthly. Each band elects two representatives to the General Council. Each band is governed by a set of bylaws that originate from the band. This structure was approved by the Commission of Indian Affairs on April 15, 1969. The Seminole General Council, chaired by the Principal Chief and Assistant Chief, serves at

7820-406: The community, and what they have been working on and the progress they made. Beyond the museum's main building, there is a mile-long boardwalk through a 60-acre cypress dome, as well as the Seminole Village, which is a modern version of the older Seminole tourist camps. The boardwalk has signs periodically that discuss the different plants and animals found in the cypress dome. The signs discuss what

7935-489: The construction of the Arts and Industries Building in 1881. Congress had promised to build a new structure for the museum if the 1876 Philadelphia Centennial Exposition generated enough income. It did, and the building was designed by architects Adolf Cluss and Paul Schulze, based on original plans developed by Major General Montgomery C. Meigs of the United States Army Corps of Engineers . It opened in 1881. The National Zoological Park opened in 1889 to accommodate

8050-409: The creation of the Ah-Tah-Thi-Ki Seminole Museum which today continues to keep Seminole traditions and history alive for others. Smithsonian Institution The Smithsonian Institution ( / s m ɪ θ ˈ s oʊ n i ə n / smith- SOH -nee-ən ), or simply the Smithsonian , is a group of museums , education and research centers , the largest such complex in the world, created by

8165-401: The duration of their elected terms, while citizen Regents serve a maximum of two six-year terms. Regents are compensated on a part-time basis. The chief executive officer (CEO) of the Smithsonian is the secretary, who is appointed by the Board of Regents. The secretary also serves as secretary to the Board of Regents but is not a voting member of that body. The secretary of the Smithsonian has

8280-465: The elected governing body. The Chief and Assistant Chief are elected at large every four years. On July 1, 2000, the Seminole Nation held a referendum for a constitutional amendment establishing new membership rules: it said that members had to have one-eighth blood quantum (essentially documented descent from an Indian member on the Dawes Rolls). The General Council prohibited representatives from

8395-413: The exception being Cooper Hewitt, Smithsonian Design Museum in New York City, which charges an admissions fee. The Smithsonian's annual budget is around $ 1.25 billion, with two-thirds coming from annual federal appropriations. Other funding comes from the institution's endowment , private and corporate contributions, membership dues, and earned retail, concession, and licensing revenue. As of 2021,

8510-944: The form of long-term loans. The Smithsonian also has a large number of traveling exhibitions, operated through the Smithsonian Institution Traveling Exhibition Service (SITES). In 2008, 58 of these traveling exhibitions went to 510 venues across the country. Smithsonian collections include 156 million artworks, artifacts, and specimens. The National Museum of Natural History houses 145 million of these specimens and artifacts, which are mostly animals preserved in formaldehyde. The Collections Search Center has 9.9 million digital records available online. The Smithsonian Institution Libraries hold 2 million library volumes. Smithsonian Archives hold 156,830 cubic feet (4,441 m ) of archival material. The Smithsonian Institution has many categories of displays that can be visited at

8625-479: The groups agreed to the Seminole Nation of Oklahoma receiving three-quarters, based on early records from 1906-1914, when members had blood quantum, and the Florida Seminole to receive one-quarter, based on a reconstructed early 20th-century censuses. The Florida tribes and Traditionals had a higher percentage of full-bloods, and blood quantum requirements for membership. By 1990, the total settlement award

8740-461: The individual had Seminole ancestry and was at the time considered an Indian member of the tribe. About 1200 Freedmen were dropped from tribal membership rolls. The Seminole Nation of Oklahoma operates three gaming casinos, three tribal smoke shops, three gasoline stations, and a truck stop, which generate revenues for welfare, education, housing and economic development. They operate their own housing authority, an alcohol and substance abuse program,

8855-908: The initiative of Smithsonian Secretary S. Dillon Ripley , opened in the Anacostia neighborhood of Washington, D.C., in 1967. That same year, the Smithsonian signed an agreement to take over the Cooper Union Museum for the Arts of Decoration (now the Cooper Hewitt, Smithsonian Design Museum ). The National Portrait Gallery and the Smithsonian American Art Museum opened in the Old Patent Office Building (built in 1867) on October 7, 1968. The reuse of an older building continued with

8970-552: The institution's endowment had a total value of about $ 5.4 billion. In many ways, the origin of the Smithsonian Institution can be traced to a group of Washington citizens who, being "impressed with the importance of forming an association for promoting useful knowledge," met on June 28, 1816, to establish the Columbian Institute for the Promotion of Arts and Sciences . Officers were elected in October 1816, and

9085-531: The legacy bequeathed to the nation and pledged the faith of the United States to the charitable trust on July 1, 1836. The American diplomat Richard Rush was dispatched to England by President Andrew Jackson to collect the bequest. Rush returned in August 1838 with 105 sacks containing 104,960 gold sovereigns . This is approximately $ 500,000 at the time, which is equivalent to $ 14,000,000 in 2023 or equivalent to £12,000,000 in 2023. However, when considering

9200-400: The lost funds with interest and, despite designs on the money for other purposes, convinced his colleagues to preserve it for an institution of science and learning. Finally, on August 10, 1846, President James K. Polk signed the legislation that established the Smithsonian Institution as a trust instrumentality of the United States, to be administered by a Board of Regents and a secretary of

9315-452: The mission to "promote science and the useful arts, and to establish a national museum of natural history," this organization continued to press Congress to establish a museum that would be structured in terms that were very similar to those finally incorporated into the founding of the Smithsonian Institution. Its work helped to develop an underlying philosophy that pushed for the pursuit and development of scientific knowledge that would benefit

9430-402: The museum has a theme, such as rituals and ceremonies, daily life, and artwork. Throughout the museum are interactive portions that allow visitors to get a better sense of the topic and artifacts they are learning about. In addition to the displays, there is a fifteen-minute video that is played in an auditorium just beyond the entrance to the museum. This video details the history of the tribe and

9545-462: The museum is Gordon 'Ollie" Wareham- the nephew of the late Billy L. Cypress. The efforts of these individuals and the changes throughout the museum have helped the cultural institution prosper. The Seminole Tribe of Florida maintains the museum. Seminole people were established in Florida by the 18th century, but after many conflicts and wars, they were forced to relocate away from Florida. These relocated groups became two individual groups, which are

9660-603: The museum. Additionally, it provides context for what visitors will see in the rest of the museum, and provides information as to why the museum is located where it is, why its development was deemed necessary, and what purpose it serves. The Ah-Tah-Thi-Ki Museum hosts an Oral History Program, with the goal of preserving "Seminole history, memory, and culture by recording Tribal members telling their own story." These interviews and recordings are only available to Seminole Tribal Members. The museum contains an online collection database. Through this database, one can have remote access to

9775-629: The museums. In 1912, First Lady Helen Herron Taft donated her inauguration gown to the museum to begin the First Ladies' Gown display at the National Museum of American History , one of the Smithsonian's most popular exhibits. The museum displays treasures such as the Star-Spangled Banner , the stove pipe hat that was worn by President Abraham Lincoln , the ruby slippers worn by Judy Garland in The Wizard Of Oz , and

9890-473: The nation, and edify its citizens at the same time. The British scientist James Smithson (1765–1829) left most of his wealth to his nephew Henry James Hungerford. When Hungerford died childless in 1835, the estate passed "to the United States of America, to found at Washington, under the name of the Smithsonian Institution, an Establishment for the increase & diffusion of knowledge among men", in accordance with Smithson's will. Congress officially accepted

10005-672: The opening of the Renwick Gallery in 1972 in the 1874 Renwick-designed art gallery originally built by local philanthropist William Wilson Corcoran to house the Corcoran Gallery of Art . The first new museum building to open since the National Museum of History and Technology was the Hirshhorn Museum and Sculpture Garden , which opened in 1974. The National Air and Space Museum , the Smithsonian's largest in terms of floor space, opened in June 1976. Eleven years later,

10120-809: The organization was granted a charter by Congress on April 20, 1818 (this charter expired in 1838). Benjamin Latrobe , who was architect for the US Capitol after the War of 1812, and William Thornton , the architect who designed the Octagon House and Tudor Place , would serve as officers. Other prominent members, who numbered from 30 to 70 during the institute's existence, included John Quincy Adams , Andrew Jackson , Henry Clay , Judge William Cranch , and James Hoban . Honorary members included James Madison , James Monroe , John Adams , Thomas Jefferson , and

10235-512: The original "Seminole," who later included the Hecete, Eufaula , Mikasuki , Horrewahle, Tallahassee , Chiaha , and Apalachicola. The Muscogee Creek Confederacy had a strong, longstanding presence in the Southeast. Fugitive runaway slaves and those freed under Spanish rule set up neighboring maroon communities and were close allies of the Indians. There was some intermarriage, but mostly

10350-443: The original Teddy Bear that was named after President Theodore Roosevelt . In 2016, the Smithsonian's Air & Space museum curators restored the large model Enterprise from the original Star Trek TV series. Following international debates about the decolonisation of museums and the legal and moral justifications of their acquisitions, the Smithsonian adopted a new "ethical returns policy" on April 29, 2022. This will permit

10465-523: The plant or animal was, its name in the Maskókî and Mikisúkî languages, and what the Seminole Tribe used it for. These signs connect tribal use and tradition with the natural world around visitors. There are signs by the Seminole Village that have thought-provoking questions accompanied by information on events that contextualize them. The Ah-Tah-Thi-Ki Museum was finished in the year 1989, but it

10580-619: The population of Seminole County. The Seminole County service population is 5,315 Tribal citizens, according to the Seminole Nation Tribal Enrollment Office. The total enrollment of the Seminole Nation of Oklahoma is approximately 17,000 members. According to 2000 U.S. Census data for Seminole County, the self-identified Native American (one race only) population is 4,328, and the Native American (one race or combination with other race) population

10695-422: The public in their own communities about how Latinos are enriching America's cultural fabric." The institution publishes Smithsonian magazine monthly and Air & Space magazine bimonthly. Smithsonian was the result of Secretary of the Smithsonian S. Dillon Ripley asking the retired editor of Life magazine Edward K. Thompson to produce a magazine "about things in which the Smithsonian Institution

10810-419: The reading of scientific and literary productions, but this was continued for only a short time, as the number attending declined rapidly. Eighty-five communications by 26 people were made to Congress during the entire life of the society, with more than a half relating to astronomy or mathematics. Among all the activities planned by the institute, only a few were actually implemented. Two were the establishment of

10925-636: The reservation and a second war was begun, the most expensive for the US, with many troops committed. After the Second Seminole War of the 1830s, an estimated 3,000 Seminole and 800 Black Seminoles were removed to Indian Territory, with many taken by ship across the Gulf of Mexico and up the Mississippi for part of the journey. They were first put under the Creek on their reservation. The 1830s

11040-554: The settlers. When Andrew Jackson became the seventh president, he signed into law a policy that would force all Indians that were living East of the Mississippi river to move West. The Native people tried to fight for their homes, and many were forced to move, but a few people followed a Native leader: Abiaki. Abiaki, who was also known as Sam Jones, was a Mikasuki tribe member. He was a medicine man and his care and guidance for his tribe earned him respect and recognition from others. The American soldiers nicknamed Abiaki "The Devil" because he

11155-472: The spring, summer, and early fall months. Originally the individual town bands or atilwa ( etvlwv in Creek) would physically organize in groups around the ceremonial ring. Seminole ceremonialism, based in Creek culture, guided every aspect of tribal life. Ceremonial teachings continue to guide those who participate in these traditions in modern times. The rituals were associated with major seasons and cycles of

11270-640: The staff and unfulfilled financial obligations to sponsors existed. The website's quality was poor, and the center did not have a public affairs manager, a programs director, adequate human resources support, or cohesive mission statement. After difficult times in the first few years, the center improved. According to the Smithsonian, the center "support[s] scholarly research, exhibitions, public and educational programs, web-based content and virtual platforms, and collections and archives. [It] also manage[s] leadership and professional development programs for Latino youth, emerging scholars and museum professionals." Today,

11385-658: The strict cultural guidelines and refrain from taking any photographs, videos and sound recordings. Located in the town of Wewoka, the Seminole Nation Museum features exhibits on Seminole culture and history. An adjoining gallery and craft shop features contemporary and traditional Seminole crafts, including the women's brilliant patchwork textiles. A monthly newspaper the Cokv Tvlvme, publishes and distributes 10,000 copies directly to tribal citizens and as supplements in local papers. The Nation also produces

11500-473: The time it went public. This included 192 gifts of at least $ 1 million. Members of the boards of directors of various Smithsonian museums donated $ 372 million. The Smithsonian said that funds raised would go toward completion of the National Museum of African American History and Culture building, and renovations of the National Air and Space Museum , National Museum of American History , and

11615-475: The time of the Treaty of Moultrie Creek , by which the Seminoles had moved into a reservation in central Florida, giving up their northern lands. The federal government combined the claims and in 1976 awarded a total of $ 16 million to the peoples. They struggled for more than a decade to allocate it, leading to negotiations between the Oklahoma and Florida groups and more sustained contact than they had had for

11730-421: The tribal land base. The Seminole Tribal Jurisdiction Area, where it provides services to its members, includes most of Seminole County in south-central Oklahoma, approximately 45 miles east of Oklahoma City. The Seminole Nation Tribal Complex is located in the town of Wewoka . The junction of U.S. 270 and Oklahoma Highway 56 is located at the town, approximately 30 miles southeast of the town of Shawnee . Wewoka

11845-461: The tribe, but the Constitution of the 1950s recognizes Freedmen as citizens. The Seminole Nation ratified a constitution on March 8, 1969, which restructured their government along more traditional lines. The Nation has been composed since the 19th century of 14 itálwa, matrilineal town bands, including two Freedmen bands, which each represent several towns. This social structure is also

11960-413: The two Freedmen Bands from participating. As a result of the change, about 1200 Freedmen were excluded from membership and most benefits afforded to the tribe. The BIA said the referendum was invalid. The Nation sued the government, saying in Seminole Nation of Oklahoma v. Babbitt (later Seminole Nation of Oklahoma v. Norton ) that it had the right to determine its own membership. The District Court for

12075-462: The two peoples retained independent cultures, according to studies since the late 20th century. The blacks were armed and became allies in military conflicts. The African Americans became known as Black Seminoles or Seminole Maroons. The term cimarrones in Spanish was initially transliterated by the Creek as semvlonē. Semvlonē eventually morphed into Semvnole (still pronounced sem-uh-no-lee by Indigenous speakers). The United States conducted

12190-546: The website features a high-tech virtual museum including self-guided virtual tours of past and present exhibits. The Smithsonian Latino Center's Young Ambassadors Program (YAP) is a program within the Latino Center that reaches out to Latino high school students with the goal of encouraging them to become leaders in arts, sciences, and the humanities. Students selected for the program travel to Washington, D.C. for an "enrichment seminar" that lasts approximately five days. Afterwards, students return to their communities to serve in

12305-440: The year - related to planting and harvest, especially, and renewal of fertility. Today the "ceremonial cycle" consists of four or five dances throughout the "dance season," of which Green Corn or Posketv-rakko (Big fast) is the most important. Depending on the ceremonial ground, Green Corn can last from four days (Thursday – Sunday) to seven days (Sunday – Sunday). Friday is known as Hoktak-'pvnkv Nettv (Women's Dance Day), when

12420-698: Was $ 81 million in 2010. The Nation holds its annual celebration, Seminole Nation Days, on the third weekend in September at the Mekusukey Mission Grounds, to celebrate tribal heritage and culture. The event is free and open to the public. The Nation provides free concerts, carnivals, and cultural events with the featured performer on Saturday evening. Other events include an art contest, banquet, princess pageant, cultural events, parade, and sports competitions. Food, art, and craft vendors and demonstrators are also on-site. A free traditional dinner

12535-596: Was a great leader, strategist, and spy along with being a healer (medicine man). Abiaki avoided negotiation with the Americans because he strongly opposed the relocation of his people away from their land. After the wars and a great loss of native people, Abiaki led the remaining two hundred Seminole Indians into the deep wetlands of Florida. This native group survived the persecution that was occurring at that time, and today, they strive as their own community with more than five thousand tribal members. These movements led way to

12650-855: Was appropriated for meteorological research. The institution became a magnet for young scientists from 1857 to 1866, who formed a group called the Megatherium Club . The Smithsonian played a critical role as the US partner institution in early bilateral scientific exchanges with the Academy of Sciences of Cuba . Construction began on the Smithsonian Institution Building ("the Castle") in 1849. Designed by architect James Renwick Jr. , its interiors were completed by general contractor Gilbert Cameron. The building opened in 1855. The Smithsonian's first expansion came with

12765-559: Was established as a trust instrumentality by act of Congress. More than two-thirds of the Smithsonian's workforce of some 6,300 persons are employees of the federal government. The Smithsonian Institution Office of Protection Services oversees security at the Smithsonian facilities and enforces laws and regulations for National Capital Parks together with the United States Park Police . The president's 2011 budget proposed just under $ 800 million in support for

12880-579: Was not until August 21, 1997, that people were able to visit the museum. This opening day was a special day because it helped commemorate the 40th anniversary of the federal recognition of the Seminole Tribe of Florida. The Museum has undergone different renovations and directors since its opening. In 2005, the museum added a small satellite location within the Seminole Paradise area of Seminole Hard Rock Hotel and Casino in Hollywood- this location

12995-610: Was the period of removal for the other of the" Five Civilized Tribes " of the American Southeast. A few hundred Seminole remained in the Florida Everglades. With guerilla warfare, they resisted US forces during the Third and last Seminole War, when the US withdrew. Today their descendants have formed the federally recognized Seminole Tribe of Florida and Miccosukee Tribe of Indians of Florida . After removal,

13110-572: Was then closed in 2009. One of the first executive directors of the museum was Billy L. Cypress. Mr. Cypress was a member of the Seminole Tribe of Florida and of the Bear Clan. He was also a US Army veteran and college graduate with an English master's degree and post-graduate work in History. Mr. Billy L. Cypress passed away in 2004, and the next director was Tina M. Osceola who was in that position until June 2011. The most current executive director of

13225-399: Was valued at $ 46 million with interest. The Seminole Nation of Oklahoma declined to share the settlement benefits with Seminole Freedmen members, as the Black Seminoles had not been legally recognized in 1823 as members of the tribe. They contended they also had lost land which they owned and occupied. After failing to gain concessions from the Nation, two Freedmen's Bands filed suit against

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