Maroons: Native American and Escaped Slaves Living Their Lives in the Dismal Swamp

Interesting research supported by the finding of artifacts in the Dismal Swamp has shown that from 1607 to 1730, Native Americans such as from the Nansemond, Meherrin, Tuscarora, and Chesapeake tribes lived in the Dismal swamp out of a need to survive situations that came with colonization such as violence and the spread of life-threatening illnesses. 

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Also taking refuge in the thick vegetation and oppressive swamp conditions of the Dismal Swamp, black slaves fled nearby plantations from the 17th century to the mid-19th century and established communities there for generations. These escaped slaves are called Maroons and research continues to uncover information about their existence and way of life in what many believed was an uninhabitable environment. 


Native American people and the escaped slaves both lived in the Dismal swamp for a time, but the time came when it was the black maroons who were the majority of peoples living their lives with families in the Dismal swamp. Acclimating to the Dismal Swamp’s harsh environment is an amazing story that has only been uncovered and told in recent years.


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