Indian Court Recognizes Descendants of Black Freedmen
TAHLEQUAH, Okla.
The descendants of freed slaves who joined the Cherokee Indian tribe in the 1800s must be recognized as citizens of the tribe, the Cherokee Nation’s highest court has ruled.
The decision by the Judicial Appeals Tribunal sets aside a previous opinion against the so-called freedmen and strikes down a 1992 Cherokee Nation Council law limiting citizenship to those who are “Cherokee by blood.”
Lucy Allen, the daughter of freedmen, says the court ruling was a blow against racism.
“It’s been a long time coming,” says David Cornsilk, a Tulsa Cherokee who served as an advocate in court for Allen, who was a petitioner in the legal action. “They were saying she was not a citizen.”
Others, however, fear the Cherokee Nation’s ability to deal with possibly thousands of new members who may not only get to vote, but have access to health care, housing and other services.
