Osceola

Bill Powell was born in Alabama in 1804. His ancestors included Africans, Creeks, Muscogee, and Scots. His Creek mother called him Asi-yahola. When advancing "settlement" forced the Creeks and Muscogee to leave Alabama, Asi-yahola's family joined the Seminoles in Florida which was a Spanish colony until 1819. In the 1830s the United States government tried to move the Seminoles to the "Indian Territory," but led by Asi-yahola they resisted. He was treacherously captured during a peace negotiation. In wide press coverage the name was anglicized to Osceola and his portrait was famously painted b...