Reviewed by Clarissa W. Confer | Reviews | Journal of American Ethnic History, 28.1

You have not been recognized as a subscriber to the Journal of American Ethnic History online. About 203 words from this article are provided below; about 472 words remain.

If you are a subscriber to the Journal of American Ethnic History, you may:: • login here if you have already registered for online access.; • Or if you're already logged in register your subscription.
• Set up your online account for the first time.
If you are not a subscriber to the Journal of American Ethnic History, you can:: • subscribe here.
• Purchase a research pass to gain two hour access to the entire History Cooperative web site. You will have full access to current issues of the Journal of American Ethnic History.
Instititutions can:: • Subscribe to the journal and receive print and electronic issues.
• Activate your existing subscription so that we recognize your IP number ranges.

Reviewed by Clarissa W. Confer | Reviews | Journal of American Ethnic History, 28.1 | The History Cooperative

Reviews

*African Creeks: Estelvste and the Creek Nation*. By Gary Zellar. Norman: University of Oklahoma Press, 2007. xix + 343 pp. Maps, photos, notes, bibliography, and index. $34.95 (cloth).
This well-written and researched new book compellingly argues that African Creeks acted as middlemen or cultural brokers between whites and Indians who were distinct but integral elements of the Creek Nation. Unfortunately, this approach neglects a great deal of Creek history and culture to focus on one small element of the Creek Nation.	1
Africans came among the Creeks through slavery, which is where the book begins. The relative freedoms enjoyed by Creek slaves that stemmed partially from frontier conditions began to ebb in the 1850s. However, just as Creek slavery assumed harsher aspects, the Civil War arrived, offering African Creeks unprecedented opportunities to gain their freedom. During the war, blacks served as soldiers and African Creeks were the first black troops enlisted in the U.S. army. While they played important roles as interpreters, black troops were regularly assigned to menial duties by white officers. Of course, many African Creeks remained in bondage during the war and did not have such opportunities, but their experiences receive little attention here.	. . .

There are about 472 more words in this article. Please log in (or, if you are not yet an authorized user, please go to the User Setup page) to gain full access rights. Or if you're already logged in register your subscription.