You raise an interesting issue. The descendants of the Freedmen of Indian Territory are excluded from many of the privileges extended to the descendants of others from the same nation. The Freedmen were adopted by the nations by the Treaty of 1866 but since Oklahoma statehood other revisions have come into place that have a distinct result of excluding the Freedmen. Some will argue that this is not intention while others will point out issues to refute that fact. This issue is currently being challenged in the Cherokee Nation in a citizenship case now awaiting judgement in Tahlequah by the Supreme Court of the Nation. The issue at stake is the rights of the Freedmen descendants.

[originally posted 25 May 1999]