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The Cherokee Freedmen Descendants: Still Seeking Freedom | The Defenders Online | A Civil Rights Blog
Article Source: thedefenderonline
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At issue is the restoration of tribal citizenship to the descendants of the Freedmen as full members of the Cherokee Nation of Oklahoma. As citizens they would be able to vote, seek tribal office and receive health, education, housing and other benefits that the tribal government distributes to enrolled citizens who live in its service area in eastern Oklahoma, with funding from the federal government and casinos.
The Freedmen were granted those rights in an 1866 treaty, which, like the 13th and 14th Amendments to the U.S. Constitution, abolished slavery and mandated that freedmen and their descendants “shall have all the rights of native Cherokees.”
- 1 vote
#1 - Tue Jul 26, 2011 8:44 PM EDTAs far as I'm concerned they are Cherokee. Although much of the battle is over whether the Cherokee were required to accept them as citizens of the Cherokee nation with out the Cherokee consent. To me, it makes no difference, they are Cherokee period.
#2 - Wed Jul 27, 2011 6:54 AM EDTI might add that due to the Dawes rolls and blood quota there are other Native-Americans that are not considered Native by the U.S. Gov't. and cannot be an enrolled member of their nation. Along with the Cherokee Freedman this whole situation is unacceptable.
A few years back, I read something about the Cherokees rejecting Black Cherokees. As long as we continue to reject one another, we will never get ahead. Can you imagine how much we could accomplish if we worked together!
- 1 vote
Power, I would recommend reading the book ''Sequoyah Rising'' by Steve Russell. It is an excellent book that deals with race, Dawes Act, Blood quota. etc and goes into indepth history regarding these issues, that effect todays situation. It is sad when Native-Americans have to prove they are native to suit some gov't policy that was instituted to destroy NA's. It is also sad that this crap is tearing the Cherokee nation apart. There are many and I mean many Cherokee that are in total disagreement with current policy.
In the Ojibwe Nation you must be 25% Ojbiwe to be an enrolled member. This dates back to the blood quota laws of the U.S. gov't. Something that I am totally against. There should be no quota re blood. I'm not sure what percent is required by the Cherokee, but I know it's less then 25 per cent.
- 2 votes
Yet another reason for the discord with the Cherokee! These are Cherokee and from a full Cherokee who has not had contact with the council in decades their color has nothing to do with the rights of these people. We who have lived in the White Man's world and know the hurt of discrimination regardless of when know that this is yet another needless tear in the fabric of our (Cherokee) society. Our unity is our strength and we have lost sight of that!
- 1 vote
o si yo tsu la, Your words carry a lot of weight. You, being a full blood Cherokee can speak with authority on the subject. I am in complete agreement with you on this matter.
Waanakiwin niijii
- 2 votes
Kavika, I'll look for the book, thanks.
FINutmegger, you're absolute correct. Until we unify, it's always going to be more of the same. What is it about people who don't understand that there is strength in numbers.
- 2 votes
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