Last week, the Cherokee Nation Supreme Court ruled unanimously to remove the phrase “by blood” from the tribe’s constitution and laws.
The decision is particularly meaningful to descendants of Black people who were once enslaved by the tribe, known as Cherokee Freedmen. According to the court, an 1866 treaty signed by the Cherokee Nation affirmed the tribal citizenship rights of Freedmen, but their place within the tribe, including their ability to run for tribal government positions, has been questioned and challenged by some Cherokee Nation members over time.
Since the court's decision was issued, there has also been pushback to the ruling by Cherokee Nation citizens who support the Freedmen, but say that changing the constitution should have been done through a vote, rather than by the court.
The Takeaway spoke to Allison Herrera, Indigenous affairs reporter for KOSU, about the decision.
