15 Minute documentary about the amazing hunter and guide, Holt Collier who took Theodore Roosevelt on the infamous Teddy Bear Hunt. A Mississippi Bicentennial Film.
There is no doubt at all how proud Theodore Roosevelt was to call Holt Collier his friend! "Bully" to my remarkable friend Ollie Morganfield who appears in this film as the older Holt Collier. It is an honor to be part of this tradition at the Great Delta Bear Affair of Rolling Fork, Mississippi. C.N.'Case' Hicks
Wow... Such an interesting documentary to stumble across. So many great African American stories we certainly never read about in school. My moms family are Collier from Lawrenceville Va. Very well could be my great, great, great ,,great, great uncle huh 😅😅😅
Maybe some of these Victim minded young people should take a look at this. Some of the Lessons are, " Shoulder Responsibility and Strive to do your Best no matter what the people around you are doing." Great video! Best Wishes from Montana! M.H.
Wow!!! Great documentary. Thank you for bringing it to us. My family has lived in Greenville for over six generations. The neighborhood across from Live Oak Cemetery is the neighborhood my grandad grew up in. He lived on Crescent Street, and their last name was Mascagni. I have many memories exploring that cemetery.
I want to say i believe there was one mistake when his Master and Son left to join the CSA army they freed Holt that day but ask him to stay home ! And one thing Holt like anyone white or black who served in CSA army aid the CSA army Upon surrender lost the right to vote ! This applied to all in CSA army or support it , Until voting rights were restored !
There were several group trying to get one made. One no budget indie version had started filming... but I think they all lost interest. It'll be a long time before audiences can accept his confederate roots.
For whatever reason, it was left out that Mr. Collier rode with and assisted General Nathan Bedford Forrest, who was also a Mississipian. Salute, to them both!
So proud of the American Education system which made sure that Holt Collier became a house hold name, right up their with Davey and Daniel and that he is remembered by school children to this very day... Oh wait but it didn't and doesn't... Nvm.
He was like a real life Forest Gump... always stumbling into and being a part of historical moments. He should definitely be remembered. We didn't have the time to explore his stint as a local lawman.
@@jamesmathews243 What a wonderful role model he would have made for American African children everywhere, no wonder they refused to teach anything about him...
It is a shame that Holt Collier isn’t a name that is familiar to most. If there’s a more interesting and colorful story, I haven’t heard it. Is there a way to get this on DVD?
There is a painting depicting this in the Walter Sillers Building that Haley Barber showed me when he told me this story while he was governor. I was there for a photo with him and my painting of the Natchez Trace that was there for 3 years.
Great documentary! But there’s so many stories that were glossed over! They could make a tv show that would last SEASONS with the amount of stories from holt! But none the less absolutely excellent documentation
@@jamesmathews243 I hope you guys do get the budget to go above and beyond with holts story!!! Appreciate the comment back boss and thank you for sharing the story of one Thee greatest hunters to ever do it!
This is old post. But slaves weren’t allowed to register as soldiers. He fought but was never registered. However, officials in Mississippi did in fact obtain a pension for him that he received. record. holtcollierpensionfiles-page-0.jpg civilwartalk.com/threads/private-holt-collier-csa-confederate-sharpshooter.87913/page-3
@@tankster5826 There is no record of Collier's service - its all anecdotal. His pension request consists of a letter from the local UCV saying that He (Collier) needs to go on pension.
As a bigger than life character people often attribute lore as fact. So I don’t dispute what you say. However, I know his great nephew personally so next time I see him I’ll ask if the family knows the details because I’ve been real curious. Mississippi names some Wild life refuges after him but Texas did a better job memorializing him at Waco, although it doesn’t show everything about him there. Wish Mississippi did more.
@@jwhiskey242 corerction in order to get a confederate pension he had to have officer in writting confirm he did loyal service till the end of war ! That goes for any Bodyguard or servant or anyone thats was african american in CSA ! Please stop trying to deny man ! Him like John Nolan and Amos Rucker existed !
Runs away to join the Confederate army. After the war he resists the union occupiers allegedly killing an Officer and makes his way to Texas until thing quite down. Greatest bear hunter in American history. Now where is the holiday for this HERO
The style of bear hunting that Holt gravitated towards was one in which his dogs would chase down and corner the bear. Holt would use a long knife and kill the bear by stabbing it in the heart while it was distracted by the dogs. Pretty close to bare handed. Also, he fought Teddy's bear using his rifle as a bludgeon.
@@jamesmathews243 Imagine so many others unheard of. Holt is already relatively unknown to most African Americans. Imagine how many more unknown historical figures there are out there
Holt Collier was a remarkable boy, teenager, who grew into a strong yet humble man. A legend of a great hunter. If Teddy Roosevelt had listened to Mr Holt he would have gotten the bear on his first hunt. Instead Mr Collier put his life in danger saving his dogs. I think he got a raw deal on that particular hurt. And Mr Roosevelt got the teddy bear named after him. And why was this story in our history books. A great hunter that spent his slave years hunting to make his Master richer with his kills and feeding the masters family as well as the slaves. Lets not forget he put his life in danger on the front line of a war and was a great marksman. Then a great guide to Mr Roosevelt and many other rich people. It is truly a shame he was never in our history books since he was actually a better hunter that Davie Crocket and Daniel Boone. Maybe if this very humble, talented man was white then history books would recount this story of this great man. My hope is that one day all the people of color will have their accomplishments told and it will become a part of our history like it should have been for past history. It's as important if not more important that their story be told. It makes me wonder just how many times great people of color have been railroaded like their story don't count in history. I believe with all my heart that they were treated very badly so therefore there life storeys and not important. And I don't think it's right that the teddy bear should have been name after Teddy. He didn't do as he was asked to do and by ignoring Mr Collier he put him in a very dangerous situation, by Mr Collier having to fight that besr to save his dogs. Mr Collier was a good and great man.
@DeborahYa. I see his family every year. Not Native American and not sure why you would think so. The actor playing his elder part is family and looks like him.
