Aug 20, 2016

Saturday Data: The Poarch Creek Revival

     When you hear The Poarch Band of Creek Indians, you likely think of their casinos in Wetumpka, Montgomery County and Atmore.



     But in the 1930's the tribe was in desperate shape. The Episcopal Church sent in missionaries who set up health clinics.
 


"The medical care provided...—treating pellagra, scabies, hookworm, and similar ailments—did much to establish the credibility of the Episcopal Church outreach. Attendance at Edwards’s church services started to increase once he consulted and received the approval of Fred Walker, a leader of the Creek community, and in short order Edwards and members of the Poarch Creeks built a church that also functioned as a school for Creek children, who were excluded from white schools and would not attend black schools."

Chief Fred Walker of the Poarch Creek bandPictureChief Fred Walker of the Poarch Creek band was the first leader to give his approval to the Episcopal church’s mission. Soon after, a church, which also served as a school, was built. (Birmingham Public Library)
 The story is told in Alabama Heritage Magazine in an article published in October of 2013.

[Saturday Data is a regular feature of www.timlennox.com]

1 comment:

  1. The Episcopal churches in Wetumpka and Atmore are still going strong!

    ReplyDelete