Submitted by: Bobby Grayson
I am what some people call a native. Meaning, I was born in Oklahoma. I am the sixth generation Muscogee/Mvskoke (Creek) Freedmen. The Freedmen were former slaves of the Five Civilize Tribes (Cherokee, Choctaw, Chickasaw, Muscogee (Creek), and Seminole). To fully understand where the Freedmen came from you have to know the history of slavery before the removal of 1830 and in Indian Territory (I.T.), now Oklahoma, before, during, and after the American Civil War.
You see, after the Civil War the
United States adopted three new amendments, 13th, 14th, and 15th. These
amendments didn't apply to the Five Civilize Tribes (Cherokee, Choctaw, Chickasaw,
Muscogee (Creek), and Seminole). It was until June 1866 that the U.S.
Government and these Nations agreed on a new treaty--what to do with the over
20,000 slaves. The Nations and the U.S. Government incorporated the 13th,
14th, and 15th amendments into the new treaty. To view these treaty’s:
Creek
Seminole
Cherokee
Choctaw
and Chickasaw
Additional references:
African and Creeks, and The Chickasaw
Freedmen both written by Daniel F. Littlefield, Jr.
The Dawes Commission, from
1893-1907
Today tribal government uses a variety of methods to determine membership. Some use blood quantum. The decision of whether or not to use a blood quantum requirement is at the discretion of the tribe as a part of their tribal sovereignty. In the Five Civilize Tribes (Cherokee, Choctaw, Chickasaw, Muscogee (Creek), and Seminole) they use the Dawes Roll to determine whether or not you are eligible for enrollment. As you read the treaty’s, 1866, you will not find any mention of a blood quantum for Freedmen to be enroll as citizens of these nations. They and their descendants are citizens based on the treaty (1866). During the time the Dawes Commission were enrolling citizens the commission established three categories: Citizen by Blood, Intermarried Whites, and Freedmen. Today anybody who can trace their roots to someone on the Final Dawes Roll can enroll, accept descendants of Freedmen. This means if you can trace your roots to someone on the Blood or Intermarried Whites Rolls you can enroll. New tribal Constitutions have been written to reflex this trend in the Five Civilize Tribes (Cherokee, Choctaw, Chickasaw, Muscogee (Creek), and Seminole).
November 6, 2000, then President, Bill Clinton, signed into law the Freedmen’s Bureau Records Preservation Act of 2000. June 2002, in Oklahoma City, OK, a new Freedmen organization was officially formed “Freedmen Descendants of the Five Civilize Tribes (Cherokee, Choctaw, Chickasaw, Muscogee (Creek), and Seminole).” The organization has met four times to continue the building stage. The organization is open to all.
Today there are an estimated 20 to 30,000 Freedmen descendants living in Oklahoma and throughout the United States today. Freedmen descendants are still not allowed to enroll.
For additional information on Freedmen of the Five Civil Tribes contact:
Angela Walton-Raji, site manager
of African-Native American Genealogy Forum at http://www.afrigeneas.com/forume/
The African-Native American History & Genealogy
Web page
The Native American Graves
Protection and Repatriation Act of 1990 (NAGPRA). To let you know that
Freedmen Graves sites are disappearing all across Oklahoma. You can still
visit several.
Old Agency Cemetery, African
Creek, Muskogee, Oklahoma:
http://www.african-nativeamerican.com/old_agency.htm
Skullyville Black Choctaws
at Skullyville Indian Cemetery
(Outside the formal confines
of the Choctaw National Cemetery)
Samuels
Cemetery aka Mose Perryman Graveyard
Oklahoma is gearing up for its 100 year Anniversary, 1907-2007. Many of us don’t think that the state historian will make room for Freedmen of the Five Civilize Tribe, but you will find mention of the Cowboys and Indians.
P.S.
The last I heard the United States Senate has Treaty making powers not the Bureau of Indian Affairs (BIA). 60 Minutes was scheduled to Air a program on the Freedmen Descendants of the Five Civil Tribes, but to date they haven't!
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