James M Branum - יעקב מתתיהו ☮4d ago

https://apnews.com/article/freedmen-slavery-cherokee-muscogee-seminole-choctaw-chickasaw-adc518e2cf7a1cd544527a50bcf1f61f

#Freedmen #Cherokee #Choctaw #Muscogee #Creek #Chickasaw #Seminole #Oklahoma #Indigenous #AfricanAmerican

Tribal citizens descended from slaves face disparate treatment

Federal reforms have made Native American health care and education programs more accessible to tribal citizens who are descended from slaves held by citizens of several tribal nations in Oklahoma. But Freedmen descendants still face barriers when exercising their rights. A report released by the U.S. Government Accountability Office ahead of Black History Month shows that enrolled Cherokee and Seminole Freedmen descendants are still sometimes asked for proof of “Indian blood” while seeking federal services. The Muscogee, Chickasaw and Choctaw nations deny their Freedmen descendants citizenship altogether.

AP News
James M Branum - יעקב מתתיהו ☮Aug 11, 2025

https://nondoc.com/2025/08/06/requesting-rehearing-muscogee-citizenship-board-calls-freedmen-ruling-a-constitutional-crisis/

Very disappointing news from the #Muscogee / #Creek Nation's government. Sad to see them continue to fight citizenship rights for the #Freedmen.

#Indigenous #AfricanAmerican #Oklahoma

Requesting rehearing, Muscogee Citizenship Board calls Freedmen ruling a 'constitutional crisis'

The Muscogee Nation Citizenship Board is seeking a rehearing of the Muscogee Nation Supreme Court in the Muscogee Freedmen's citizenship case.

NonDoc
James M Branum - יעקב מתתיהו ☮Jul 25, 2025

https://www.theguardian.com/us-news/2025/jul/25/muscogee-creek-supreme-court-ruling

Very good news for the #Freedmen of the #Muskogee / #Creek Nation.

Now it is time for the #Chickasaw, and #Choctaw nations to grant their Freedmen citizenship rights, and for the #Seminole nation to lift their freedmen citizens from their current second-class citizenship status.

#Indigenous #NativeAmerican #FirstNations #Oklahoma #NativeAmericanLaw #IndianLaw

Muscogee court affirms citizenship for descendants of people enslaved by tribe

Muscogee (Creek) Nation had earlier argued that only lineal descendants of tribe qualified for citizenship

The Guardian
James M Branum - יעקב מתתיהו ☮Jun 11, 2025

https://www.oklahoman.com/story/news/politics/2025/06/11/muscogee-nation-supreme-court-oklahoma-freedmen-tribal-citizenship-case/84134959007/

#Muskogee #Freedmen #Creek #Muscogee #MuscogeeCreek #Law

Muscogee Nation Supreme Court to decide if Creek Freedmen descendants can be citizens

The case would decide whether descendants of Muscogee Freedmen should be granted tribal citizenship.

The Oklahoman
Paria sans portefeuilleFeb 11, 2025

"Join Michael in his discussion with Professor #JusteneHillEdwards about her powerful new book, #SavingsAndTrust: The Rise and Betrayal of the Freedman's Bank. Created after the Civil War, the #FreedmansBank was where tens of thousands of formerly enslaved people placed their savings only to have them stolen by corrupt white bankers."

https://redcircle.com/shows/9628320e-8ac7-43bc-b394-79d0ca7fc4d7/ep/4d1d60ac-1c10-4b2f-8b80-4099d78606dd

#Freedmen #Reconstruction #ReconstructionEra #BlackHistory #BlackHistoryMonth #UShistory #RacialWealthGap #books @bookstodon @histodons

Paria sans portefeuilleFeb 10, 2025

Book talk

"On February 10, 2025, historian #JusteneHillEdwards, was in conversation with Rethinking Schools editor Jesse Hagopian. They discussed Edwards’ book, "#SavingsAndTrust: The Rise and Betrayal of the #FreedmansBank", a comprehensive account of the Freedman’s Bank and its depositors"

replay: https://www.zinnedproject.org/news/the-rise-and-betrayal-of-the-freedmans-bank/

#Reconstruction #ReconstructionEra #WarAgainstReconstruction #Freedmen #BlackHistory #BlackHistoryMonth #UShistory #RacialWealthGap #books @bookstodon @histodons

Reconstruction Robbery: The Rise and Betrayal of the Freedman’s Bank

Historian Justene Hill Edwards will discuss her book, Savings and Trust: The Rise and Betrayal of the Freedman’s Bank, a comprehensive account of the Freedman’s Bank and its depositors. This session is part of the Zinn Education Project’s Teach the Black Freedom Struggle online people’s history series.

Zinn Education Project
James M Branum - יעקב מתתיהו ☮Jun 24, 2024

https://www.oklahoman.com/story/news/2024/06/24/gaps-in-equity-for-cherokee-nation-citizens-of-freedman-descent/74157453007/

#Cherokee #CherokeeNationOfOklahoma #Freedmen #Indigenous #AfricanAmerican #BlackHistory

What the Cherokee Nation found about equal treatment of its citizens of Freedmen descent

A Cherokee Nation task force identified gaps in equity for tribal citizens of Freedmen descent, and the tribe is working on ways to close them.

The Oklahoman
Wokebloke for DemocracyJun 16, 2024
“I hope and pray that our Government will not listen to the ex-parte statements of the old rulers of these States, many of whom are still traitors at heart, and even now are seeking to grasp again the political power under the old flag...
It will be bad for the Freedmen if these men again get into power.”
https://www.motherjones.com/politics/2024/06/40-acres-reconstruction-freedmen-bureau-stolen-land/?utm_source=mj-newsletters&utm_medium=email&utm_campaign=daily-newsletter-06-14-2024
#Slavery #Freedmen #Reparations #CivilWar
Finally, a specific accounting of land stolen from the formerly enslaved

We compiled Reconstruction-era documents to identify 1,250 formerly enslaved Black Americans given land—only to have it returned to their enslavers.

Mother Jones
James M Branum - יעקב מתתיהו ☮May 6, 2024

https://www.cherokeephoenix.org/news/ag-push-continues-for-equality-under-major-crimes-act/article_82dc04b6-088d-11ef-bb7a-27b916eb958f.html

Very appreciative of the #Cherokee Nation of #Oklahoma pushing so hard to ensure that the #Freedmen (descendants of formerly enslaved people w ho now are citizens of the tribe) enjoy equal protection under the law. This is such a marked change from the past.

#Law #NativeAmericanLaw #FirstNations #AfricanAmerican #Black #BlackIndigenous #BIPOC #OK

AG: Push continues for equality under Major Crimes Act

The Cherokee Nation’s attorney general says there have been “very productive” conversations at the federal level regarding the tribe’s push for changes to the Major Crimes Act.

cherokeephoenix.org
James M Branum - יעקב מתתיהו ☮Sep 28, 2023

Good news but unfortunately the Muskogee Nation AG says he will be appealing the decision to the Muskogee Suprem Court.

Sad that this litigation is necessary to ensure that the Muskogee Nation honors its treaty obligations to the descendants of those formerly enslaved by the nation, the Freedmen.

Unfortunately the Muskogee Nation like several other tribal nations in Oklahoma is still drinking the Kool-Aid of racism.

#Muskogee #Freedmen #Reparations #Slavery #Oklahoma #Indigenous #Law