The
issue of "Freedmen" citizenship in the Cherokee Nation has been an
ongoing situation since the signing of the Fort Smith Treaty
of 1866. Over one hundred and forth years later, the problem appears to still
be unresolved and contentious.
For the Cherokee tribal leaders their argument is if you are "non-Indian" (as opposed to non-Cherokee) you are not entitled to citizenship in "their" nation (tribe.)
The Congressional Record clearly demonstrates there is another view on citizenship and it is important that these records become a vital part of the ongoing discussion.
This memorial written to Congress in 1913 was a reflection of the sustained effort of the Cherokee Freedmen to assert their rights as citizens in the Nation and secure their "rights and privileges" as were spelled out in the Treaty of 1866.