NAACP Alabama State Chairman
of American Indian Affairs
Says Not In Alabama

Who is a Cherokee? That is the taunting question posed in the state of Oklahoma. The issue at hand involves a group known as the Freedmen. The Freedmen are descendants of black slaves married to Cherokee people. The controversy involves the right to citizenship for Freedmen in the Cherokee Nation. After the Freedmen won their rights to citizenship into the Cherokee Nation, several tribal leaders in Oklahoma launched an attack to remove the Freedmen. 

Sonya Smith NAACP Chairman of American Indian Affairs for the state of Alabama strongly opposes the actions of the Cherokee Nation in Oklahoma seeking to remove Freedmen from their roles. Smith says she realizes that not all members of the Cherokee Nation in Oklahoma are endorsing this action and hopes that
the general public will realize the same. Smith is a Cherokee “by birth” and wishes to clarify that she is not affiliated with the Cherokee Nation of Oklahoma. “There are three Federally recognized Cherokee Nations and numerous state recognized Cherokee tribes” says Smith “and we have a greedy, racist few who want to hurt Indian people everywhere”.

One tribal council member of the Oklahoma based Cherokee Nation who supports the inclusion of the Freedmen stated “this is a sad chapter in Cherokee history. But this is not my Cherokee Nation. My Cherokee Nation is one that honors all parts of her past”.

Smith concludes “we are the only ethnicity known that deems themselves authentic by blood quantity. In this case, several individuals have chose to continue using the statement of “Cherokee by blood” and I challenge these individuals who are so head strong and greedy to make their blood quantities public knowledge. Chances are they would not fair well against the Freedmen. Real Indian people would not act in such a  manner. This is Indian removal under a new guise and these individuals should be ashamed to be involved in anything even remotely similar”.

Smith will continue with her goal to form the first NAACP American Indian Youth Council in the Nation and she jokingly says she is in a race with the Eastern Shoshone Tribe of Wyoming who are also members of the NAACP. Smith notes that there are several American Indians who hold NAACP memberships and at least one tribe. She encourages American Indian people everywhere and particularly those who are involved with the NAACP to rise up against division such as this in Oklahoma. It is vital to support existing tribal members from the Cherokee Nation of Oklahoma who seek to give citizenship to the Freedmen. “The division in Oklahoma is not tolerable” Smith reiterated “not in Alabama, not on my watch, and not as long as I’m the Chairman”.

This article was provided by Sonya Smith NAACP Alabama State Conference American Indian Affairs, Chairman. It is fully supported by Edward Vaughn NAACP Alabama State Conference, President.