Prince Madoc and the Welsh Indians: A Persistent Frontier Myth

In partnership with Deep South Roots, Mobile Public Library is proud to host Alabama Road Scholar Ronald Fritze for a special presentation on the legend of Prince Madoc! 

Why would anyone think that there was a tribe of Welsh Indians? Who was Prince Madoc? What does he have to do with Alabama? One of the most persistent myths of the American frontier is the belief in the existence of Welsh Indians. It began in Elizabethan England and continued to be commonly accepted as historical fact up to the beginning of the 20th century. The in-between is a fascinating story of mythic sea voyages, tribes wandering the wilderness, and centuries of mistaken reports and fantasies about sightings of Welsh Indians that even included a landfall at Mobile Bay and Lewis and Clark. 

This presentation is supported by a grant award from the Alabama Humanities Alliance. Any views, findings, conclusions, or recommendations expressed in this program do not necessarily represent those of the Alabama Humanities Alliance.

Admission is Free! For more information, please email Elizabeth Theris-Boone at etheris@mplonline.org or call 251-494-2172.