I have read Steve Russell’s article concerning Principal Chief Chad Smith and the Cherokee Nation of Oklahoma [”Cherokees double down with Chad Smith,” Vol. 27, Iss. 28], and I would like to set the record straight. While I agree with Mr. Russell on our chiefs’ performance, I must take great exception to his asserting that our vote to not accept the freedman as tribal members was a violation of a treaty. Mr. Russell should read a little history before making his statements.
My people had a gun to our collective heads following the American Civil War. The government ordered my people to accept the freedman as citizens. Citizenship has always been by blood, not color. Cherokees have black tribal members. They are citizens by virtue of their Cherokee ancestors marrying someone who just happened to be black. Please note that our citizenship rolls don’t mention color, or ever have. We don’t see color in identifying our citizens. Are we to continue following the mindless orders of Washington bureaucrats?
– Joe Kinnison
Former director for Roads and Transportation, Cherokee NationHaskell, Okla.
