From Removal to Relocation: Native American People Return to Illinois

What happened to those Native groups who left Illinois during the early 19th century?

When it comes to Indian Removal , it is not far off the mark to say that all (or at least most) roads led to Oklahoma. Native tribes from all over the United States were voluntarily or involuntarily sent to what was then called “Indian Territory” between 1800 and 1890

Of the tribes removed from Illinois, many (including the Miami, Peoria (Illinois), Kickapoo, Sac and Fox, Potawatomi, and Shawnee nations) reside today in rural northeastern Oklahoma. There they maintain distinct tribal identities and have federal recognition, but after allotment and a series of land rushes, they no longer control reservation lands. They are rural communities without distinct boundaries separating them from non-Indians—yet they remain sovereign nations.

Follow these links to learn more about the historical movements of specific Native American groups associated with the State of Illinois:

LINKS

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