Popularly known as “Black Seminoles,” descendants of the Seminole freedmen of Indian Territory are a unique American cultural group. Now Kevin Mulroy examines the long history of these people to show that this label denies them their rightful distinctiveness. To correct misconceptions of the historical relationship between Africans and Seminole Indians, he traces the emergence of Seminole-black identity and community from their eighteenth-century Florida origins to the present day. Arguing that the Seminole freedmen are neither Seminoles, Africans, nor “black Indians,” Mulroy proposes that they are maroon descendants who inhabit their own racial and cultural category, which he calls “Seminole maroon.” Mulroy plumbs the historical record to show clearly that, although allied with the Seminoles, these maroons formed independent and autonomous communities that dealt with European American society differently than either Indians or African Americans did. Mulroy describes the freedmen’s experiences as runaways from southern plantations, slaves of American Indians, participants in the Seminole Wars, and emigrants to the West. He then recounts their history during the Civil War, Reconstruction, enrollment and allotment under the Dawes Act, and early Oklahoma statehood. He also considers freedmen relations with Seminoles in Oklahoma during the twentieth and early twenty-first centuries. Although freedmen and Seminoles enjoy a partially shared past, this book shows that the freedmen’s history and culture are unique and entirely their own.
The Executive Playbook to Lead Business Growth, Innovation and Transformation. The first leadership book for the age of artificial intelligence, equipping leaders with principles and tactics to achieve audacious outcomes and solve complex problems, while smartly managing the inherent risks of bold moves. Applying this playbook will impact your business and, just as critically, propel and protect your career as a bold transformational executive. Co-authored by John Rossman, author of The Amazon Way and Think Like Amazon, and Kevin McCaffrey, seasoned executives from Amazon, Google, and T-Mobile. This fast-moving book melds their direct leadership experiences with comprehensive research and authentic stories. Actionable insights include: Pinpointing Growth Opportunities: Identify your customer's primary frustrations and unmet needs with standout features, forming the foundation for sustainable business growth. Mastering Strategic Communication: Develop skills to ensure alignment, clarity, and vital stakeholder involvement through effective strategic communication. Prioritizing through High-Impact Experimentation: Implement cost-effective, swift, and impactful experimentation methods, utilizing memos and debates for maximum effect. Redefining Cost Models for Winning Business Models: Learn to innovate cost structures alongside improving customer experiences for a transformative impact on your business. Overcoming Inertia and Analysis Paralysis: Discover tactics to break free from conventional pace and decision-making traps by creating focused teams and unique operational environments. Maximizing Return on Effort: Craft a governance approach that provides high quality, timely signals for your strategic endeavors without the usual bureaucratic overhead. With your book purchase you also get a trove of resources including practical frameworks, real-world examples, a Big Bet journal, generative AI prompts , and a Big Bet GPT. These tools are designed to drive active integration of the principles of Big Bet Leadership in your business.
“A thoughtful and fresh perspective on life’s compassionate journey to success. Irrational Kindness is powerful, provocative, and palatable.” —Linda Cash, former Vice President, Quality and New Model Launch Program at Ford Motor Company This work from a fast food entrepreneur and rare triple-franchisee Kevin Williams was written as part-employee handbook, part-operating manual for life. Irrational Kindness flips traditional wisdom on its head and gives a different lens through which to look at life. Often the idea of being irrational is smeared with negative connotations. It can sound illogical, senseless, unjustifiable, or groundless. It may even represent ludicrous and mad behavior! But Kevin Williams argues that being irrational can be just the opposite. And it is the most positive, inspiring, and empowering way to be. Being irrational has to do with thinking outside the box—way outside. It has to do with viewing life as a journey and still being willing to reverse the route, shake things up, or flip the map upside down. Why? Not just to be different, but to make a difference. Irrational Kindness can serve as a harmonious reminder that one’s hopes and dreams do not have to be derailed—not by their fears, their pasts, or by people who make them feel like they have to know everything to be successful, or even just to get started. Throughout its pages, Kevin provides the inspiration everyone needs to favor understanding over being understood and prioritize kindness—toward themselves as well as others—over everything. “This book is a needed and timely reminder to pause and give Kindness a platform to change the world around you.” —Princess Moon, Podcast Artist & Encourager of People
Thank you for visiting our website. Would you like to provide feedback on how we could improve your experience?
This site does not use any third party cookies with one exception — it uses cookies from Google to deliver its services and to analyze traffic.Learn More.