Driven from the Lower Mississippi Valley by French conquest in the 1730s, the Natchez people who later joined with the Cherokee and Mvskoke became vital guardians of traditional practices and values, serving as protectors of Indigenous identity. Simultaneously, the Natchez influence crossed cultural, religious and racial boundaries. For example, this work explores the complex role of the Natchez in spreading the Baptist faith, and also incorporated African Americans into the church and other aspects of society in the Southeast. Extending beyond where most histories end coverage, this work follows the Natchez story into the nineteenth century and Indian Territory. It uncovers how Natchez-Cherokee-Mvskoke leaders mediated between missionaries and traditionalists, welcomed African Americans into community life, carried ceremonial fires along the Trail of Tears, and reestablished the heart of Indigenous ceremonial practice in Oklahoma.