“The Making of Chief Osceola: The Abolitionists and the Creation of an American Myth” with Dr. Andrew Frank

Join us at the Downtown Library on October 2nd for a special Amelia Island Museum of History presentation. Held in collaboration with Florida Humanities, this special event is presented in support of the Museum’s hosting of the Smithsonian's traveling exhibition, "Americans," which is currently on display through October 2nd. This special presentation is titled “The Making of Chief Osceola: The Abolitionists and the Creation of an American Myth” with Dr. Andrew Frank.
The talk explores the life and memory of Osceola, an important Indigenous warrior who became the nation's most well-known Seminole after his death. It investigates how and why he was famously labeled a “Chief”—an invented title that led to over 20 counties, towns, and mountains across the country bearing his name. The answer connects deeply to the central themes of nineteenth and twentieth-century America.
Dr. Andrew Frank is the inaugural Director of the Native American and Indigenous Studies Center and Allen Morris Professor of History at Florida State University. An award-winning scholar, he has authored or edited 11 books on Native American history in Florida and the South, including Before the Pioneers and Creeks and Southerners. He holds a Ph.D. from the University of Florida.
Date: Friday, October 2nd, 2026

Time: 6pm to 7pm

Location: Nassau County Public Library Fernandina Beach Branch, 25 North 4th Street Fernandina Beach, Florida 32034

Cost: Free for everyone

Seating: On a first-come, first-served basis. This program is wheelchair accessible.


For more information contact Tirik Peterson at: 904-261-7378 x102 or tirik@AmeliaMuseum.org.