Deskaheh was a Cayuga (Gayogohó:no') religious and political leader and speaker of the Six Nations Hereditary Council. He traveled in the 1920's to the League of Nations (with a Six Nations passport) to protest Canada's attempts to unseat the Six Nations Hereditary Council. Throughout his life he advocated for the Six Nations to retain their languages and distinctive culture. There is an excellent short animated film made by Indigenous youth about his life and work.

Fort Mose was the first legally sanctioned Free Black settlement in North America. It was headed by Francisco Menéndez, a Mandinka person who was captured for the slave trade in Gambia and forcibly transported the US. He escaped slavery during the Yamasee War around 1715 where he fought alongside Native Americans against the British in Carolina. After successfully escaping to St Augustine Florida and securing his freedom, he spent his life assisting other escaped enslaved people along with his Native allies. The existence of this Fort is thought to be part of the inspiration for the Stono slave rebellion. It's also considered a precursor to the Underground Railroad which initially helped enslave people escape to the southern border as well as the northern border. One source states that by 1763, there were approximately 3,000 Black people at Fort Mose, with three quarters having once been slaves.