Levi Colbert

From Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia

The introduction to this article provides insufficient context for those unfamiliar with the subject matter.
Please help improve the introduction to meet Wikipedia's layout standards. You can discuss the issue on the talk page.

“Itawamba” redirects here. For other uses, see Itawamba (disambiguation).

Levi Colbert, also known as Itawamba, was a Chickasaw leader who was called Itte-wamba Mingo, meaning bench chief. He served the Chickasaw's as a translator in compromises with President Johnson in relation to moving West of the Mississippi. Only when Levi Colbert was sick were government officials able to force Chickasaw chiefs to sign a treaty that cast them West of the Mississippi. This treaty only gave them 25 cents per acre for their land, less than half that of which was first promised. Colbert believed that "half-breeds" of white men who married into the Chickasaw tribe were an abomination of the tribe because they would hide within the tribe after going against the law, they would care for reservations and other things that would make them money, and they lacked respect for the tribe itself. Colbert did not want conflict, he wanted peace with the US government even if it meant giving up his peoples land. But he wished to obtain the most for his nation, as they were being put into a deadly situation.

Itawamba County, Mississippi was named for him.