UPDATE: NEW STATEMENT Cherokee Freedmen Decision: Statement by Marilyn Vann, President of the Descendants of Freedmen of the FIVE CIVILIZED TRIBES

At LONG LAST, there is a victory for the Cherokee Freedmen.  We brought you Jon Velie's statement yesterday. This morning we have Marilyn Vann's statement.

I want to thank so many that have helped the Cherokee Freedmen tribal members win our case in DC. We first of all thank God for this great victory. 

We also thank the Honorable Judge Thomas Hogan for his air tight legal opinion which carefully considered all of the arguments, 

Our legal team - led by Jon Velie who have worked tirelessly, DOJ/DOI attorneys who filed wonderful briefs, so many supporters who are citizens by blood such as Eli Grayson who roamed the halls of Congress with me and stood on the picket line, Bill Davis who rallied the Northern outpost of the Cherokee nation to educate voters about the freedmen during the time of the phony freedmen petition removal drive, Ollie Starr, who has stood with the freedmen when it was not popular to do so, David Cornsilk who has stood with the freedmen- and done his all to try to right a wrong. 

The REAL TRUTH About the L.A. City Council Indigenous Day Decision as told by a Native Woman Who Was There....

I am so proud of my cousin Olivia Walls who penned this account of her experiences at the Los Angeles City Council Meeting which resulted in a 14-1 to change Columbus Day to Indigenous people's day.       Please, READ it and SHARE it. 

Olivia Walls

The REAL TRUTH About the L.A. City Council Indigenous Day Decision as told by a Native Woman Who Was There.... by Original Pechanga on Scribd

CNO Attorney General Hembree: I DO NOT INTEND to FILE AN APPEAL

WELL DONE SIR, WELL DONE!

Cherokee Nation Attorney General Todd Hembree issued the following statement in the ruling of Cherokee Nation v. Nash, et. al in the U.S District Court for Washington D.C.

“Yesterday, a Federal Court issued a long awaited ruling determining the rights and interests of Cherokee Freedmen descendants. The Court ruled that Freedmen descendants have the right to citizenship within the Cherokee Nation.

CA Assembly Committee Hears Opposition on Fast-Tracked Elk Grove Casino Indian Gaming Compact

The hearing included compact proponents from the Governor's office, Cooper, Elk Grove Council Members Pat Hume and Stephanie Nguyen, and Wilton Rancheria Chairman Raymond Hitchcock. Unlike the Senate committee hearing, Assemblymembers heard more opposition to the gaming compact.   Assembly floor vote is scheduled for Thursday, August 31.

Appearing again in opposition to the compact was Lisa Jimenez, Chair of the Historical Disenrolled Families of the Wilton Rancheria. Jimenez said there were more than 100 members disenrolled based on a new constitution.

"Most tribes want to preserve their heritage," Jimenez said. "Not this tribe."

She added, "They are disenrolling because less is more, I don't care about the casino, I care about our people."

Cherokee Freedmen Atty JON VELIE Statement on Today's Victory Against RACIAL OPPRESSION by The Cherokee Nation

Cherokee Freedmen attorney JON VELIE remarks on the incredible victory today for his clients, and for Native America.

Following a 14-year legal battle, the DC Federal District Court held that the Freedman, descendants of the slaves held by Cherokee Nation who were granted citizenship rights in the Treaty of 1866, following the Civil War, have a right to citizenship under the Treaty.

I am attaching the lengthy decision and including a quote from the primary attorney in the case. There is a great deal of historical coverage about this case over the years but no one has noticed the victory here in DC.  I thought I would give you a heads up.

Maryland School BANS RACIST Washington NFL TEAM Clothing

NO MORE RACIST WEAR at Maryland's private Green Acres School.

Letter from the private school below is one of the first dominoes to fall. And they MUST be pushed to make this happen--more schools should be willing to have these discussions:

Dear Families,

CHEROKEE FREEDMEN WIN!! Landmark Case says they HAVE RIGHTS to CITIZENSHIP

BREAKING!    Cherokee Freedmen descendants have won their case in federal court. In a 70 page decision the judge has found that they have rights of citizenship. 

AFTER THREE YEARS.   Ruling to follow!   HERE IT IS! 

Marilyn VANN

READ their history here

FROM JUDGE HOGEN"S RULING:
There appears to be no dispute that the Cherokee Freedmen are descendants of freedmen who were held as slaves by Cherokees and ultimately listed on the Dawes Freedmen Roll. MONEY: Article 9 of the
Treaty of 1866 entitles them to “all the rights of native Cherokees,” 14 Stat. at 801, which means they have a right to citizenship so long as native Cherokees have that right. 
Nothing in the 1866 Treaty qualified that right by subjecting it to a condition antecedent that would terminate it, including the extinction of Indian Territory upon Oklahoma statehood. Although the Cherokee Nation Constitution defines citizenship, Article 9 of the 1866 Treaty guarantees that the Cherokee Freedmen shall have the
right to it for as long as native Cherokees have that right. 

The history, negotiations, and practical construction of the 1866 Treaty suggest no other result. Consequently, the Cherokee Freedmen’s right
to citizenship in the Cherokee Nation is directly proportional to native Cherokees’ right to citizenship, and the Five Tribes Act has no effect on that right. The Five Tribes Act did not abrogate, amend or
otherwise alter Article 9’s promise that descendants of freedmen shall have all the rights of native Cherokees. 

L.A. City Council VOTES YES on CHANGING COLUMBUS DAY to Indigenous People's Day

RULES committee votes 14 -1 to make the CHANGE

A great day in Los Angeles as the city council finally recognized the Native American community.  I am proud that my cousin Olivia Walls went to speak today on the changing today of Columbus Day to Indigenous People's Day.

Some commenters claimed Italians did a lot for this country..uh including bringing spaghetti. Let me say, I love Italians, and spaghetti.  But this issue is much different than it being anti-Italian.   

Arguments against Columbus:

Indian Country Today: For Sale Can it Become a NATIVE RUN ENTERPRISE?

Sad news that one of the biggest names in Native news, Indian Country Today, in which I am PROUD to be published in, is looking for a buyer.

Native American publication FOR SALE

ICT published a piece by a UCLA professor Duane Champagne that was so error-laden that it had to be deliberate.   So I wrote a piece taking Champagne's piece down and they were good enough to publish it.
See: A Rebuttal to Duane Champagne

Today, Mark Trahant has an article about the publication in his TRAHANT REPORTS, which was sold to the Oneida Nation in 1998.  We've written about the Oneida Nation and it's disgraceful leader Ray Halbritter here.

Noted Native American Auther Jaqueline Keeler, who stood with us at demonstrations against tribal disenrollment in Sacramento used to write for Indian Country today.   She wrote about her firing in a Daily Kos article, that "outed" the fact that most of the salaried employees at ICT were NON-Indians.

Here's hoping that an independent Native Group can purchase this paper and continue to bring the Native Stories to the public.  In the meantime, come here for stories on Disenrollment and Tribal Corruption.

Picayune Rancheria REMOVES Council Member Patrick Hammond

Patrick Hammond was removed from Tribal Council last night for removing documents from the casino during the war at the Chukchansi Gold casino "break in".

Pat has been revealing issues of tribal business by the current council and some missing MILLIONS...

THE STORY is DEVELOPING....so stay tuned

Saginaw Chippewa Disenrollment: Judge Patrick Shannon RULES AGAINST Disenrolled

Color me SHOCKED.  The the matter of tribal disenrollment at the Saginaw Chippewa tribe, Who would believe that a Judge whose job depends on ruling what the Saginaw Chippewa Tribal Council wants, would rule in their favor? Or just as truly, when asked to review his previous decision on the disenrollment, he agreed with ....uh...himself?

The Saginaw Chippewa tribe have disenrolled the living and the dead, we've published many articles on the tribal disenrollment:

ELEM INDIAN COLONY Shifts Goalposts on Membership Requirements To Stall Enrollments

The Elem Indian Colony, recent subject of lawsuits against their tribal disenrollment actions which were outside their constitution are now taking a different tack: Shuffling paperwork AND requirements  (again, ordinances were never legally changed)

Here is an example, of the Geary children a denial that DEMANDS.

1. Proof they were not enrolled in another tribe (Their mother is Non-Indian)  
2. Prove at least 1/8 Indian blood (Elem Government cannot do a simple math)
3. DNA test (the General Council did not legally change membership       ordinances to include a DNA test)

Tribal chairman Augustine Garcia refused request to see minutes of meeting where the DNA requirements were approved.  If the changes were just, why not show them?   Is he getting advice from BIA employees ...AGAIN?

Augustine Garcia

REMINDER:  In the recent lawsuit, the Judge demanded that the Elem Government allow all the Citizens to attend Tribal Meetings. Since then, those who live on the reservation have been turned away, violating the Federal Judge's request.  Isn't that CONTEMPT?

Democrats WHIFF FOUR TIMES in Monument Posturing Against TRUMP

FOUR Congressional Members, 100 people and NO NATIVE American Representation?  There were at least FOUR local tribal factions that could have been invited .  Gabrieleno Tongva Nation , Gabrieleno Kizh, Gabrieleno Tongva, Tongva Nation    And not ONE?  That's a whiff on California history.

Judy Chu Forgetting Natives
a MONUMENTAL mistake

Judy Chu of Pasadena, Jimmy Gomez of Los Angeles, Brad Sherman of Sherman Oaks and Adam Schiff of Burbank, all Democrats — condemned Trump’s decision to review the monuments, saying the president’s action was a nod to corporate greed.    They left out they didn't give a nod to the indigenous people who, you know, STILL LIVE in the area.

WILL TRUMP be ANY Different on Disenrollment Than is Predecessors Asks Gabrieleno Tongva Activist Emilio Reyes

President Donald J. Trump

Stop Tribal Genocide founder Emilio Reyes has an open letter to POTUS which you can read here

Under the Obama administration the numbers drastically increased on tribal disenrollment. While his administration ignored to take any action in protecting Native American individual rights, let’s find out if the Trump administration is willing to take any action on tribal disenrollment.  (OP)Obama was okay with violations as a SENATOR

The following is an open letter to President Trump: