The 2023-2024 Chieftains Lecture Series is sponsored by the family of Jody Selman, a founding member of Chieftains Museum/Major Ridge Home.

Portrayed by living historian Jim Sawgrass, “War Stories: An Evening with Chief William McIntosh of the Creek Nation” will provide audiences with an opportunity to step into the past and meet William McIntosh, the powerful mico (headman) of the Lower Creeks. McIntosh is an honorary chief of the Cherokee Nation and is on his way to sit in on a session of the National Council at Ustanali.  He has called to lodge for the night at Chieftains, the home of his old ally and fellow veteran of the Red Stick War and Battle of Horseshoe Bend. McIntosh will tell the story of the Red Stick War and how he fought alongside Major Ridge during the critical military action at Horseshoe Bend. He will also describe military life of a US-allied Creek warrior and demonstrate the arms and armament which were used to obtain victory over the Red Stick (British-allied) Creeks. 

Jim Sawgrass is a native Floridian of Muscogee Creek (Mvskoke) descent and living historian of the southeastern tribes of Florida, Georgia, and Alabama. For over 30 years, Sawgrass has been sharing his knowledge of the Southeastern Native American tribes. Since 1988, he has owned and operated the Deep Forest Historical Native Program, which provides indigenous living history programming within the Ocala National Forest and venues across the country.   He has presented programs on Native American history at places like schools, Pow Wows, state and national parks, Walt Disney World, Universal Studios, Sea World, New Orleans Jazz & Heritage Festivals and many other places around the U.S. He has also served on the Florida Indian Council. Additionally, Sawgrass has appeared in numerous historical documentary series on major television networks such as the History Channel, Travel Channel and Discovery Channel.