. ▁During ▁the ▁period ▁of ▁Indian ▁Rem oval ▁in ▁the ▁ 1 8 3 0 s , ▁he ▁was ▁one ▁of ▁the ▁chief s ▁who ▁signed ▁the ▁Tre aty ▁of ▁ 1 8 3 0 , ▁by ▁the ▁terms ▁of ▁which ▁the ▁Cho ct aw ▁sold ▁to ▁the ▁US ▁their ▁remaining ▁lands ▁east ▁of ▁the ▁Mississippi ▁River . ▁Most ▁Cho ct aw ▁migr ated ▁to ▁the ▁Indian ▁Territ ory ▁( now ▁Oklahoma ), ▁but ▁Le fl ore ▁and ▁some ▁others ▁remained ▁in ▁Mississippi . ▁He ▁became ▁a ▁state ▁and ▁US ▁citiz en , ▁a ▁plan ter ▁ow ning ▁African - American ▁slaves , ▁and ▁at ▁times ▁served ▁as ▁a ▁politician . ▁ ▁Following ▁the ▁American ▁Civil ▁War , ▁during ▁Re const ruction ▁the ▁majority - black ▁population ▁of ▁fre ed men ▁in ▁the ▁county ▁gained ▁em an cip ation ▁and ▁suff rage , ▁particip ating ▁for ▁the ▁first ▁time ▁in ▁formal ▁politics . ▁They ▁supported ▁the ▁Republican ▁Party , ▁as ▁President ▁Abraham ▁Lincoln ▁had ▁gained ▁their ▁freedom . ▁In ▁the ▁mid - 1 8 7 0 s , ▁the ▁Red ▁Sh ir ts , ▁a ▁white ▁par amil it ary ▁organization ▁working ▁on ▁beh alf ▁of ▁the ▁Democratic ▁Party , ▁developed ▁chap ters ▁in ▁Mississippi . ▁They ▁worked ▁to ▁dis rupt ▁Republican ▁meet ings , ▁suppress ▁the ▁black ▁vote , ▁and ▁turn ▁Republic ans ▁out ▁of ▁office ▁so ▁that ▁white ▁Democr ats ▁could ▁reg ain ▁control ▁of ▁the ▁state ▁legisl ature . ▁ ▁In ▁the ▁period ▁from ▁ 1 8 7 7 ▁to