Internet Resources
- Chickasaw NationOfficial website of the Chickasaw Nation.
- Chickasaw TVThe story of the vibrant Chickasaw Nation, one of the Five Tribes of Oklahoma forcibly removed from the Southeastern United States on the Trail of Tears, comes to life, tracing its history and culture from past to present.
- Chickasaw CultureExplore the culture of the Chickasaw Nation from the official Chickasaw website.
History
Click on the map to explore the history of the Chickasaw Nation. From migration to what is now Mississippi, Kentucky, Alabama and Tennessee in prehistoric times to the purchase of the new homeland in south-central Oklahoma in the mid 1800's, the Chickasaw culture and heritage have always had roots in nature and the elements.
Map Source: https://chickasaw.net/Our-Nation/History.aspx
Chickasaw Migration Story
To find their homeland, the Chickasaws and Choctaws migrated across the continent. They prayed each night for direction. A force manifested in the Leaning Pole indicated which path to follow. Two brothers led the procession and the two tribes didn’t part until they reached the Mississippi River.
Video Source: https://www.chickasaw.tv/videos/the-chickasaw-migration-story
Primary Sources & Reference Materials (Log in Required)
- History Commons (Formerly Accessible Archives) This link opens in a new window
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This database includes primary sources from 18th and 19 century America. A search for Chickasaw reveals a large number of primary sources. - American History, 1493-1945 This link opens in a new window
This database features many primary sources, including handwritten documents, correspondence, and images from the Chickasaw tribe. Use the Advance Search feature to locate these original documents.
- Credo Reference: ChickasawAccess the Credo Reference landing page for the Chickasaw. This page includes links to library materials, a mind map, and more.
Perspectives
The Chickasaws
For 350 years the Chickasaws-one of the Five Civilized Tribes-made a sustained effort to preserve their tribal institutions and independence in the face of increasing encroachments by white men. This is the first book-length account of their valiant-but doomed-struggle. Against an ethnohistorical background, the author relates the story of the Chickasaws from their first recorded contacts with Europeans in the lower Mississippi Valley in 1540 to final dissolution of the Chickasaw Nation in 1906. Included are the years of alliance with the British, the dealings with the Americans, and the inevitable removal to Indian Territory (Oklahoma) in 1837 under pressure from settlers in Mississippi and Alabama. Among the significant events in Chickasaw history were the tribe?s surprisingly strong alliance with the South during the Civil War and the federal actions thereafter which eventually resulted in the absorption of the Chickasaw Nation into the emerging state of Oklahoma.
Winter Fire
Winter Fire is a documentary series sharing stories related to Chickasaw history, culture, people and present-day tribal issues. These videos symbolize stories shared within the warm glow of the Chickasaw family, with topics touching on removal, boarding schools and the revitalization of the Chickasaw language. The Season 1 episode, "And Our Mothers Cried," has been awarded a Regional Emmy® for outstanding historical documentary. Access the video at https://www.chickasaw.tv/series/winter-fire.