Cherokee Nation Expels Black Slave Descendants

The Cherokee Nation's Expulsion of Black Members

On March 3, 2007, the Cherokee Nation voted to revoke the citizenship of approximately 2,800 black members, known as the Freedmen, who were descendants of slaves owned by Cherokee citizens. This decision was made in a special election, with over 76% of voters supporting the expulsion. Historian Tiya Miles notes that this event was the culmination of a long-standing dispute over the rights of the Freedmen within the Cherokee Nation.

What Everyone Knows

The standard story goes that the Cherokee Nation's decision to expel the Freedmen was a recent development, sparked by contemporary debates over tribal sovereignty and citizenship. Most people think that this controversy began in the 1980s, when the Cherokee Nation started to re-examine its membership criteria. However, this narrative overlooks the complex historical context that led to the expulsion of the Freedmen.

What History Actually Shows

Historians like Daniel F. Littlefield and Mary Ellen Jones have shown that the roots of this controversy date back to the 19th century, when the Cherokee Nation was forced to adopt a constitution modeled after that of the United States. On July 6, 1866, the Cherokee Nation signed a treaty with the US government, which included provisions for the emancipation of slaves and the incorporation of the Freedmen into the tribe. The Cherokee Nation's constitution was amended in 1907 to exclude the Freedmen from citizenship, setting a precedent for future disputes over their rights. Historian Celia Naylor argues that the Cherokee Nation's decision to expel the Freedmen was influenced by the tribe's desire to assert its sovereignty and control over its own membership. On August 30, 2006, the Cherokee Nation's Supreme Court ruled that the Freedmen had the right to citizenship, but this decision was later overturned by the tribal council. As historian Barbara Krauthamer notes, the expulsion of the Freedmen was a deliberate attempt by the Cherokee Nation to redefine its membership criteria and exclude those who were deemed not to be "Cherokee by blood". The historical record shows that the Cherokee Nation's treatment of the Freedmen was shaped by a complex interplay of factors, including tribal sovereignty, racial identity, and the legacy of slavery.

The Part That Got Buried

Historians like Daniel Littlefield and Theda Perdue have long argued that the story of the Cherokee Freedmen was deliberately obscured by the Cherokee Nation itself, as well as by the US government. The Cherokee Nation's decision to exclude black members who were descendants of slaves was a deliberate choice, made by tribal leaders who wanted to maintain their power and privilege. The US government, meanwhile, was more concerned with negotiating treaties and resolving land disputes than with ensuring the rights of African American Cherokee citizens. One concrete reason why this history was not told is that the Cherokee Nation's own archives and historical accounts were carefully curated to downplay or omit the experiences of black Cherokee people. Researchers who tried to uncover the truth faced significant obstacles, including restricted access to tribal records and a lack of documentation about the lives of African American Cherokee individuals.

The Ripple Effect

The Cherokee Nation's decision to kick out black members who were descendants of slaves had concrete consequences for the people affected. Many were left without citizenship, land, or access to tribal resources, and were forced to fend for themselves in a society that was often hostile to African Americans. The exclusion of black Cherokee people also had a direct impact on modern-day tribal enrollment policies, which continue to be contested and debated today. For example, the Cherokee Nation's current citizenship requirements, which prioritize Cherokee blood quantum over other forms of identity or connection, can be traced directly back to the tribe's historical efforts to exclude black members.

The Line That Says It All

The Cherokee Nation's Supreme Court ruled in 2017 that the descendants of Cherokee Freedmen had the right to citizenship, but the decision came more than 150 years after the tribe first began excluding black members.

A Note on Sources

This article draws on historical records, documented accounts, and academic research related to the history of the Cherokee Nation and the experiences of African American Cherokee people during the 19th and 20th centuries.