Freedmen Descendents

Freedmen were formerly enslaved people of African descent who were emancipated after the Civil War and became associated with Native American tribes, particularly the Five Civilized Tribes (Cherokee, Choctaw, Chickasaw, Muscogee, and Seminole) in Indian Territory (present-day Oklahoma). Many Freedmen were formerly enslaved by these tribes and gained their freedom following the Civil War.

Treaties between the United States government and these tribes after the Civil War often included provisions for the incorporation of Freedmen into the tribes, granting them citizenship and rights to land and resources. However, the status of Freedmen within Native American communities has been complex and contested, with issues of tribal sovereignty, identity, and belonging often at the forefront.

Some Freedmen descendants argue that they have been denied full citizenship and equal rights within the tribes, facing discrimination in areas like voting, housing, and access to resources. They point to historical and ongoing exclusionary practices and policies as evidence of their unequal treatment.  

On the other hand, some tribal governments argue that tribal sovereignty allows them to determine their own membership criteria and that Freedmen descendants do not meet the requirements for full citizenship, often citing blood quantum or lineage requirements. They may also argue that limited resources and historical injustices make it difficult to fully accommodate Freedmen descendants within their communities.  

These issues have led to legal battles, political debates, and strained relationships between Freedmen descendants and the Five Civilized Tribes. The question of whether Freedmen descendants have a right to full citizenship and equal treatment within these tribes remains a complex and unresolved issue, with ongoing implications for identity, belonging, and self-determination in Indian Country.