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96-590: Originally part of the Cherokee Nation , the area was heavily logged in the early part of the 20th century. The Art Loeb Trail was dedicated on November 9, 1969. It was named after an avid hiker and Carolina Mountain Club member, who resided in Brevard. Mr. Loeb often explored and cared for the area. Extensive logging and locomotive fires in 1925 and 1942 are the cause for the expansive, open views around Black Balsam Knob. There

192-485: A 1978 congressional survey. The 1994 Federal Legislation AIRFA ( American Indian Religious Freedom Act ) defines an Indian as one who belongs to an Indian Tribe, which is a group that "is recognized as eligible for the special programs and services provided by the United States to Indians because of their status as Indians." The council is the legislative branch of government. One councilor is elected to represent each of

288-401: A Democratic registration advantage as recently as the late 2010s, the county has not voted that way in presidential elections in the 21st century. Although Republican margins in the county have grown at a slower pace than in many other Oklahoma counties of this size, the party has nonetheless won greater than 60% of the county's vote in every election since 2012. In 2020, Donald Trump won 74% of

384-465: A group of citizenship. At the same time, the Cherokee Supreme Court ordered a special run-off election to be held September 24, 2011 to settle the office of Principal Chief. Earlier voting in this year's election had been so close that the incumbent Chad Smith and challenger Bill John Baker , longtime Cherokee National Council member, had each twice been declared the winner. On September 11,

480-666: A historic people who had originated in the Southeast and were part of the larger Creek Confederacy for centuries. Much of their new territory was included in what later became McIntosh County. Chief McIntosh was executed in Georgia in 1825 by order of the Creek National Council, which had forbidden such land cessions without agreement by the full council. His descendants and followers of the Lower Towns migrated to Indian Territory. There

576-506: A household in the county was $ 25,964, and the median income for a family was $ 31,990. Males had a median income of $ 27,998 versus $ 19,030 for females. The per capita income for the county was $ 16,410. About 13.50% of families and 18.20% of the population were below the poverty line , including 24.80% of those under age 18 and 13.30% of those age 65 or over. The most common self-identified ancestry groups in McIntosh County are: Despite

672-578: A majority of enrolled Cherokee Nation citizens. These communities are a way for enrolled Cherokee citizens to connect with Cherokee heritage and culture, and to be more politically engaged. These communities are located in Arizona, California, Colorado, New Mexico, Texas, Florida, and central Oklahoma. The Cherokee Nation has constructed health clinics throughout Oklahoma, contributed to community development programs, built roads and bridges, constructed learning facilities and universities for its citizens, instilled

768-499: A member of the Cherokee nation, undertook fieldwork and academic study of Cherokee music and dance, publishing widely on the topics and, in Heth's case, teaching courses on comparative American Indian music . McIntosh County, Oklahoma McIntosh County is a county located in the U.S. state of Oklahoma . As of the 2020 census , the population was 18,941. Its county seat

864-710: A new treaty made in 1866 with the United States. This was in the wake of the American Civil War , when the US emancipated slaves by passing a constitutional amendment granting freedmen citizenship in the United States. In reaching peace with the Cherokees, who had sided with the Confederates, the US government required that they end slavery and grant full citizenship to freedmen living within their nation. Those who left could become United States citizens. However, despite "the promises of

960-581: A part of the physical Mount Tabor Indian Community in Rusk County, Texas . This was based on their ancestors not having been recorded on the Final Rolls of the Five Civilized Tribes, as documented by the US government. The Mount Tabor Indian Community does not consider itself to be a Cherokee tribe and only recognizes the three federally recognized Cherokee groups as legitimate "Cherokee tribes". Although

1056-506: A particular state sovereign." Basing citizenship off the Dawes Rolls and other rolls is what scholar Fay A. Yarbrough calls "dramatically different from older conceptions of Cherokee identity based on clan relationship’s, in which individuals could be fully Cherokee without possessing any Cherokee ancestry" and that by the tribe later "developing a quantifiable definition of Cherokee identity based on ancestry", this "would dramatically affect

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1152-710: A preliminary hearing to allow the Freedmen to vote, with voting to continue through October 5 if necessary. On August 30, 2017, the United States District Court for the District of Columbia ruled in favor of the Freedmen descendants and the U.S. Department of the Interior, granting the Freedmen descendants full rights to citizenship in the Cherokee Nation. The Cherokee Nation has accepted this decision, effectively ending

1248-452: A result, they did not receive land allotments and later were for a time excluded from tribal membership. In the 20th century, the Cherokee Nation passed a law to limit membership to descendants of those listed as "Cherokee by blood" on the Dawes Rolls , excluding numerous African Americans and Afro-Cherokees who had been members of the tribe. In a recognition of Cherokee sovereignty, in 1989

1344-576: A state, labeling it a "European construct" and wishing tribes would turn their attention from "reforming the state to (re)building the ‘small, local, autonomous communities’ that flourished around the world prior to 1492." They believe that this "would allow actual indigenous sovereignty and self-determination" and that "history tells us that nations and peoples can be organized in multiple and overlapping ways. Territories have long been shared between peoples, and individuals have often identified themselves within networks of relationships rather than as subjects of

1440-534: A tribe, cannot be recognized by the BIA. Miller also states that even "so-called purely ‘descendancy’ tribes such as the Five Tribes with no blood quantum requirement jealously guard some proven, documentary link by blood to distant ancestors. More than any single BIA requirement, however, this criterion has proven troublesome for southeastern groups [seeking federal recognition] because of its reliance on non-Indian records and

1536-440: Is Eufaula . The county is named for an influential Muscogee Creek family, whose members led the migration of the Lower Towns to Indian Territory and served as leaders for generations. It is one of the counties within the jurisdiction of the federally recognized Muscogee (Creek) Nation ; a small portion is within the jurisdiction of the Cherokee Nation of Oklahoma . Many archaeological sites in McIntosh County date back to

1632-513: Is $ 1.06 billion on the state's economy, $ 401 million in salaries, and supports 13,527 Cherokee and non-Cherokee jobs. The Cherokee Nation council appropriates money for historic foundations concerned with the preservation of Cherokee culture, including the Cherokee Heritage Center . It operates living history exhibits including a reconstructed ancient Cherokee village, Adams Rural Village (a turn-of-the-century village), Nofire Farms, and

1728-411: Is a variety of birds, reptiles and mammals in the area. Deer , rattlesnakes , rabbits , black bears and bobcats may be spotted by the watchful hiker. While most of the spruce and fir was removed by logging, there are areas where these trees are encountered on the trail. There are significant differences in the landscape from the southern end of the trail compared to the higher elevations. Along

1824-580: Is also composed of five independent agencies that exercise power autonomously from the control of the Principal Chief: The judicial branch of tribal government includes the District Court and Supreme Court, which is comparable to the U.S. Supreme Court. The Supreme Court consists of five members who are appointed by the Principal Chief to ten-year, staggered terms and confirmed by the council. It

1920-615: Is drained by the Deep Fork River , North Canadian River and Canadian River . As of the census of 2000, there were 19,456 people, 8,085 households, and 5,683 families residing in the county. The population density was 12/km (31/sq mi). There were 12,640 housing units at an average density of 8/km (21/sq mi). The racial makeup of the county was 72.59% White , 4.06% Black or African American , 16.20% Native American , 0.14% Asian , 0.03% Pacific Islander , 0.35% from other races , and 6.63% from two or more races. 1.27% of

2016-489: Is not a factor in Cherokee Nation tribal citizenship eligibility. Neither is race, though race came into play when creating the Dawes Roll, where legitimate "Cherokee citizens of mixed blood who could get away with it were enrolled as less Cherokee than they really were in order to be able to sell or lease their land sooner" and some "whites without a legitimate claim were falsely enrolled." Author Robert J. Conley has critiqued

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2112-450: Is really serious about exercising its sovereignty and determining its membership," then it should not use the roll that "was put together by the U.S. government and then closed by the U.S. government," meaning that the nation is "not allowed to have [a current roll] by the U.S. Congress" and therefore is still subject to the settler definitions of its members. Scholars like Osage Nation member Tink Tinker , critique tribes for functioning like

2208-533: Is the head of the executive branch of the Cherokee National Government, responsible for overseeing an annual budget of over $ 600 million and more than 3,000 full-time employees. The current Principal Chief, elected June 1, 2019 , is Chuck Hoskin Jr. , who formerly held the office of Cherokee Nation Secretary of State . The deputy chief acts as the chief in his or her absence. The chief is assisted in managing

2304-526: Is the highest court of the Cherokee Nation and oversees internal legal disputes and appeals from the District Court. The District Court hears all cases brought before it under jurisdiction of the Cherokee Nation Judicial Code. The Court on the Judiciary is a seven-member body which oversees the judicial system. It consists of two members appointed by each of the three branches of government; one of

2400-545: The American Civil War , the United States promised the Cherokee Nation "a permanent homeland" in an 1866 treaty. In exchange, the Cherokee Nation (and the other four of the Five Civilized Tribes ) gave the United States parts of its western territory that were then organized into Oklahoma Territory . Unlike most reservations, the Cherokee Nation owned fee simple title to its lands, and they were not held in trust by

2496-571: The Archaic period in North America (6000 BC - 1 AD). (Ed. note: the Encyclopedia of Oklahoma History and Culture defines this period as written here. The definition differs from that shown by the linked Misplaced Pages article.) Archaeologists have uncovered six sites since 2003 that predate these. These indigenous peoples predated any of Plains Indians , as well as the tribes that settled in the territory in

2592-631: The Arkansas River . The Missouri-Kansas-Texas Railway built a line through this area in 1871–2, generally following the Texas Road. The communities of Checotah and Eufaula were established then. In 1904–5, the Missouri, Oklahoma and Gulf Railway (later merged into the Kansas, Oklahoma and Gulf Railway) laid a line through the northwestern part of the area, starting the community of Hitchita . McIntosh County

2688-704: The Cherokee Freedmen . The tribe has members who also have some degree of African, Latino, Asian, European, and other ancestries. In the case of the Cherokee Freedmen, members may be predominantly or wholly African American. Members of the Natchez Nation joined the Cherokee Nation, as did other southeastern tribes in the 18th century. Unlike the United Keetoowah Band of Cherokee Indians (UKB) and Eastern Band of Cherokee Indians (EBCI), blood quantum

2784-585: The Cherokee Nation of Oklahoma , is the largest of three federally recognized tribes of Cherokees in the United States. It includes people descended from members of the Old Cherokee Nation who relocated, due to increasing pressure, from the Southeast to Indian Territory and Cherokees who were forced to relocate on the Trail of Tears . The tribe also includes descendants of Cherokee Freedmen and Natchez Nation . As of 2024, over 466,000 people were enrolled in

2880-633: The Confederate States of America , signed treaties with the Chickasaw, Choctaw and Creek nations at the beginning of the Civil War. They allied with the Confederacy in the hopes of gaining an Indian state after the war. The Battle of Honey Springs , the largest battle of the war in what is now Oklahoma, was fought near Rentiesville. The Union Army won and took control of that part of Indian Territory north of

2976-469: The Eastern Band of Cherokee Indians , including cultural exchange programs and joint Tribal Council meetings involving councilors from both Cherokee tribes that address issues affecting all Cherokee people. The United Keetoowah Band tribal council unanimously passed a resolution to approach the Cherokee Nation for a joint council meeting between the two nations, as a means of "offering the olive branch," in

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3072-427: The 15 districts of the Cherokee Nation in the 14 county tribal jurisdictional area. Two tribal council members represent the at-large citizenry – those who live outside the tribe's 14-county jurisdictional area in northeastern Oklahoma. The 17 councilors total are elected to staggered four-year terms. The deputy chief serves as president of the council, and casts tie-breaking votes when necessary. The principal chief

3168-715: The 1830s following Indian Removal from the American Southeast. Indigenous people may have made petroglyphs at the Handprint Site before the coming of the earliest European explorers. In 1825, the Creek of the Lower Towns in the territory of present-day Georgia, led by William McIntosh , agreed by the Treaty of Indian Springs with the United States, to exchange their land in Georgia for land in Indian Territory. These Creek were

3264-573: The 1866 treaty, the freedmen were never fully accepted as citizens of the Cherokee Nation" during the 19th and 20th centuries. A sizable number of Freedmen "were ignorant of the treaty clause which provided for their right of incorporation into the tribe." In practice, enrollment in the Cherokee Nation rolls was often strongly influenced by race. During creation of the Dawes Rolls prior to allotment of tribal communal lands to households, many freedmen and Afro-Cherokees were listed separately from Cherokee by blood, regardless of their ancestry or culture. As

3360-481: The Art Loeb, including the optional climb up Cold Mountain. Challenges for the hiker include steep ascents and descents, exposed hiking on high Appalachian Balds, and few water supply points. It is recommended to have a life straw and gravity filter to maximize the minimal water supply points. To complete the entire trail, most guides recommend either three or four days. There are several backcountry camp spots throughout

3456-730: The Cherokee Family Research Center for genealogy, which is open to the public. The Cherokee Nation hosts the Cherokee National Holiday on Labor Day weekend each year, attracting 80,000 to 90,000 Cherokees to Tahlequah for the festivities. Miss Cherokee is an annual competition taking place during the Cherokee National Holiday. The Cherokee Heritage Center is home to the Cherokee National Museum, which has numerous exhibitions also open to

3552-859: The Cherokee Nation Courthouse from its legal caretakers and occupants, the Cherokee Nation Marshals, the Judicial Appeals Tribunal, and its court clerks. They ousted the lawful occupants at gunpoint. Immediately the court demanded that the courthouse be returned to the judicial branch of the Cherokee Nation, but these requests were ignored by Byrd. The Federal authorities of the United States initially refused to intervene because of potential breach of tribal sovereignty . The State of Oklahoma recognized that Byrd's activities were breaches in state law. By August 1997, it sent in state troopers and specialist anti- terrorist teams. Byrd

3648-510: The Cherokee Nation Tribal Council voted to officially define marriage as a union between a woman and man, thereby excluding same-sex marriage . This decision came in response to an application by a lesbian couple submitted on May 13. The decision kept Cherokee law in line with Oklahoma state law, which in 2004 passed a referendum on a constitutional amendment excluding gay marriage as legal. On December 9, 2016, same-sex marriage

3744-648: The Cherokee Nation Tribal Courts reinstated the Cherokee Freedmen as citizens while appeals were pending in the Cherokee Nation Courts and Federal Court. On May 22, 2007, the Cherokee Nation received notice from the United States Bureau of Indian Affairs that the BIA and Federal Government had denied the amendment to the 1975 Cherokee Nation Constitution because it required BIA approval, which had not been obtained. The BIA also noted that

3840-803: The Cherokee Nation and achieved independent federal recognition as the Shawnee Tribe . Similarly, a band of Lenape joined the Cherokee Nation in 1867. On July 28, 2009, they achieved independent federal recognition as the Delaware Tribe of Indians . Many groups have sought recognition by the federal government as Cherokee tribes, but today there are only three groups so recognized. Cherokee Nation spokesman Mike Miller has said that some groups, which he calls Cherokee Heritage Groups , are encouraged. Others have created controversy by their attempts to gain economically through their claims to be Cherokee. The three federally recognized groups say that only they have

3936-529: The Cherokee Nation constitution are still being challenged after the change, most recently by Robin Mayes who appealed for a new election. On September 13, 2021, Marilyn Vann became the first Cherokee Freedmen descendant to be confirmed to a Cherokee government commission when she was appointed to the Environmental Protection Commission by Principal Chief Chuck Hoskin Jr. On June 14, 2004,

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4032-571: The Cherokee Nation had excluded the Cherokee Freedmen from voting on the amendment. On this issue, the Cherokee Nation Supreme Court ruled that the Cherokee Nation could take away the approval authority which it had previously granted the federal government. Pending the resolution of litigation, the Cherokee Freedman had all rights as full Cherokee Nation citizens, including voting rights and access to tribal services. In early 2011,

4128-600: The Cherokee Nation in 1919. The service time for each appointed chief was so brief that it became known as "Chief for a Day". Six men fell under this category, the first being A. B. Cunningham, who served from November 8 to November 25. In the 1930s, the Franklin D. Roosevelt administration worked to improve conditions by supporting the Indian Reorganization Act of 1934, which encouraged tribes to reconstitute their governments and write constitutions. On August 8, 1938,

4224-470: The Cherokee Nation reservation area. In 2023, the nation's enrollment reached 450,000. In 2024, the nation released updated demographics maps showing the nation's total population in the United States was approximately 466,118. To be considered a citizen in the Cherokee Nation, an individual needs a direct ancestor listed on the Dawes Rolls as a citizen of the Nation, whether as a Cherokee Indian or as one of

4320-660: The Cherokee Nation since 1866, and their ancestors were recorded on the Dawes Commission Land Rolls (although generally in the category of Cherokee Freedmen, even if they qualified as "Cherokee by blood", as many did.) The ruling "did not limit membership to people possessing Cherokee blood," as some freedmen and their descendants had never intermarried with Cherokees. Well-known genealogist, historian, and Freedmen advocate David Cornsilk notes that other historical citizenship bases are still excluded to this day (such as an ancestor tied to an older roll). On May 15, 2007,

4416-600: The Cherokee Nation, in accordance with the 1835 treaty, though Congress has not yet seated her. As of 2014 , the Cherokee Seed Project of the Natural Resources Department offers "two breeds of corn, two kinds of beans (including Trail of Tears beans), two gourds and medicinal tobacco" to Cherokee Nation members. Eleven satellite communities have been organized by the tribe in areas of high Cherokee Nation populations. These communities are composed of

4512-553: The Cherokee Nation. Headquartered in Tahlequah, Oklahoma , the Cherokee Nation has a reservation spanning 14 counties in the northeastern corner of Oklahoma. These are Adair , Cherokee , Craig , Delaware , Mayes , McIntosh , Muskogee , Nowata , Ottawa , Rogers , Sequoyah , Tulsa , Wagoner , and Washington counties. After Cherokee removal on the Trail of Tears , the Cherokee Nation existed in Indian Territory . After

4608-711: The Creek repeatedly battled with the Osage , who had historically occupied a large area including this and up through present-day Missouri . In 1836, the Creek established North Fork Town on the Texas Road , about two miles east of present-day Eufaula, Oklahoma . A post office named Micco operated in North Fork Town from 1853 to 1886. This area became part of the Eufaula District of the Creek Nation . Albert Pike , representing

4704-542: The Nation sent letters to Freedmen, notifying them of their loss of citizenship and voting rights. The US Department of Housing and Urban Development froze $ 33 million in funds to the Cherokee Nation while studying the case, pursuant to a stipulation in the 2008 congressional renewal of Self-Determination Act. On September 13, 2011, the Department of the Interior strongly urged the Cherokee Nation to restore voting rights and benefits to descendants of Cherokee Freedmen, including

4800-477: The Principal Chief. Elected in 1995, Byrd became locked in a battle of strength with the judicial branch of the Cherokee tribe. The crisis came to a head on March 22, 1997, when Byrd said in a press conference that he would decide which orders of the Cherokee Nation's Supreme Court were lawful and which were not. A simmering crisis continued over Byrd's creation of a private, armed paramilitary force. On June 20, 1997, his private militia illegally seized custody of

4896-505: The Supreme Court of the United States has now affirmed" and "This proposed legislation will cement our reservation boundaries and the broad tribal jurisdiction the Supreme Court recognized in the McGirt decision. We will continue to work with the state of Oklahoma and our federal partners to ensure the safety of the public." The United Keetoowah Band of Cherokee Indians claims it has rights to

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4992-508: The United Keetoowah Band's argument is legally incorrect and only the Cherokee Nation has jurisdiction to the 14 county reservation and that the United Keetoowah Band only has jurisdiction over their 76-acres of trust land . The COVID-19 pandemic struck the Cherokee Nation hard in 2020. Hundreds of Cherokees lost their lives under the pandemic. On March 18, 2021, the Cherokee Nation held a memorial to remember those Cherokees lost to

5088-625: The United States. While the General Allotment Act had exceptions for the Five Tribes, later acts forced the Cherokee Nation to allot its reservation to members. In 1906, Congress enacted the Five Tribes Act which contemplated the dissolution of tribes, but also included a clause stating "the tribal existence and present tribal governments of [the Five Tribes] are hereby continued in full force and effect for all purposes authorized by law.” In

5184-412: The age of 18. The Nation's current system of government was established by the constitution of 1999, which was adopted by tribal citizens in 2003, and implemented in 2006. Every 20 years, the constitution requires a vote among tribal members, to decide whether a new constitutional convention should be held. The Congress of the United States , the federal courts, and state courts have repeatedly upheld

5280-592: The best cropland, causing a large-scale decline in agriculture. Cotton farming essentially ceased in the county by the mid-1970s. Cattle ranching has remained important, continuing to rise throughout the century. By 2000, the county reported 55,000 head of cattle. Completion of Eufaula Lake in 1964 generated revenue from hydroelectric power, stimulated tourism, and produced companion businesses like boat building and general retail. Mineral resources such as oil, natural gas, limestone, sand and gravel have also been important. While there are ample coal deposits, much of it has

5376-399: The confused (and confusing) nature of surviving documents." The Cherokee Nation has legislative, executive and judicial branches with executive power vested in the Principal Chief , legislative power in the Tribal Council , and judicial power in the Tribal Supreme Court. The Principal Chief, Deputy Chief, and Tribal Council are elected to four-year terms by the registered tribal voters over

5472-449: The county's population. According to the U.S. Census Bureau , the county has a total area of 712 square miles (1,840 km ), of which 618 square miles (1,600 km ) is land and 94 square miles (240 km ) (13%) is water. Much of the water surface is attributable to Eufaula Lake , the largest reservoir entirely within the state. Checotah is the nearest city to Lake Eufaula State Park (formerly Fountainhead State Park). The county

5568-417: The county's vote, the strongest Republican performance in history. The county economy has been based primarily on farming and ranching. Corn was the principal crop until 1900, when cotton superseded it (as measured by acreage) around the middle of the 20th century. Other crops such as sorghum, oats and wheat also became important. However, construction of a dam and the resulting Eufaula Lake inundated much of

5664-426: The dispute. In 2021, Shawna Baker , a justice on the Cherokee Nation Supreme Court, published the written opinion, Effect of Cherokee Nation v. Nash & Vann v. Zinke , CNSC-2017-07. The Supreme Court then ruled to remove the words "by blood" from its constitution and other legal doctrines because "[t]he words, added to the constitution in 2007, have been used to exclude Black people whose ancestors were enslaved by

5760-409: The early 20th century, courts interpreted the legislation as having dissolved tribal governments, but by the late 1970s courts shifted their interpretations to finding tribal government had never been disestablished. After the near dissolution of the tribal government of the Cherokee Nation in the 1900s and the death of William Charles Rogers in 1917, the Federal government began to appoint chiefs to

5856-401: The executive branch by the Secretary of State, the Attorney General, the Marshal, the Treasurer, and several group leaders. The government's functions are divided into several Groups, each headed by a Group Leader. These groups are further divided into several Service Areas which provide governmental services to the Cherokee people. As of July 2011, there are fifteen groups: The executive branch

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5952-465: The federal court in the Freedmen case of Nero v. Cherokee Nation held that the Cherokee Nation could legally determine its own citizenship requirements, even if that meant excluding descendants of freedmen who had formerly been considered citizens. But on March 7, 2006, the Cherokee Nation Judicial Appeal Tribunal ruled that the Cherokee Freedmen were eligible for Cherokee citizenship. The Cherokee Freedman had historically been recorded as "citizens" of

6048-425: The founding families were Cherokee by blood from 1850 and into contemporary periods the community has evolved into a distinct multitribal band with large percentages of Yowani Choctaw , Chickasaw and Muscogee Creek Indians. The Mount Tabor Indian Community was recognized as a tribe by the State of Texas in 2017. Cherokee descendants of the Mount Tabor Indian Community must trace lineal descent from one or more of

6144-418: The gunfight that followed. Eufaula was designated as the permanent seat of McIntosh County one year later. The county is mostly within the jurisdiction of the federally recognized Muscogee (Creek) Nation , which oversees and represents its members. The far eastern portion of the county is within the jurisdiction of the Cherokee Nation of Oklahoma . Native Americans, mostly Muscogee, comprise more than 16% of

6240-401: The legal right to present themselves as Cherokee Indian Tribes. Prior to 1975, the Texas Cherokees and Associate Bands- Mount Tabor Indian Community (TCAB-MTIC) were considered a part of the Cherokee Nation, as reflected in briefs filed before the Indian Claims Commission . While W.W. Keeler served as Chief of the Cherokee Nation, he also was Chairman of the TCAB Executive Committee. The TCAB

6336-450: The nation. As of 2018, 360,589 people were enrolled in the Cherokee Nation as citizens. Citizens live in every state, with 2018 populations of 240,417 in Oklahoma, 22,124 in California, 18,406 in Texas, 12,734 in Arkansas, 11,014 in Kansas, and less than 10,000 in each other state. By 2021, enrollment reached 400,000, making the Cherokee Nation the second most populous tribe, closely behind the Navajo Nation . About 140,000 citizens live in

6432-424: The northern part of the trail in the Shining Rock Wilderness should be prepared, as the trails are not marked, and there are no signs. South of Ivestor Gap the trail is outside of the Shining Rock Wilderness, and contains blazes and signs to help with navigation. The trail also shares with the Mountains-to-Sea Trail for a short stretch in the Silvermine Bald area. There are also several side trails that connect to

6528-400: The people of Checotah were involved in a dispute with nearby Eufaula known as the McIntosh County Seat War . After Checotah was designated as the new county seat, the people of Eufaula refused to hand over the county records. Soon after, a group of heavily armed men from Chectotah attempted to seize the records from the courthouse in Eufaula, but were beaten back and forced to surrender during

6624-516: The population were Hispanic or Latino of any race. 96.4% spoke English , 1.5% Muskogee and 1.5% Spanish as their first language. As of 2020, its population declined to 18,941. There were 8,085 households, out of which 25.60% had children under the age of 18 living with them, 56.60% were married couples living together, 10.40% had a female householder with no husband present, and 29.70% were non-families. 26.70% of all households were made up of individuals, and 14.50% had someone living alone who

6720-437: The practice of Gadugi and self-reliance, revitalized language immersion programs for its children and youth, and is a powerful and positive economic and political force in Eastern Oklahoma. In the early 21st century, the tribe assumed control of W. W. Hastings Hospital in Tahlequah, previously operated by the US Indian Health Service . The Cherokee Nation has gotten positive feedback on their COVID-19 response in comparison to

6816-467: The process of enrollment late in the nineteenth century and the modern procedure of obtaining membership in the Cherokee Nation, both of which require tracing and individuals’ lineage to a ‘Cherokee by blood.’" Thus, the Dawes Roll itself still upholds "by blood" language and theory. Mark Edwin Miller acknowledges in his work that many of descent people left the tribes and "assimilated into existing, non-tribal (if also nonwhite) communities," and thus, without

6912-769: The public. The CHC is the repository for the Cherokee Nation as its National Archives. The CHC operates under the Cherokee National Historical Society, Inc., and is governed by a board of trustees with an executive committee. The nation also supports the Cherokee Nation Film Festivals in Tahlequah and participates in the Sundance Film Festival in Park City, Utah . Ethno-musicologists such as Gertrude Prokosch Kurath and Charlotte Heth ,

7008-467: The reservation as well as a "successor of interest" because they allege the original Cherokee Nation was "sunset" after "the last of its original members who signed the Dawes Roll died in 2012 at age 107." Therefore, the current Cherokee Nation is no longer the same Cherokee Nation that made the agreements with the federal government, it is only a "successor" like the UKB are. However, the Cherokee Nation has argued

7104-457: The rest of the US. Since 1992, the Nation has served on Inter-Tribal Environmental Council . The mission of ITEC is to protect the health of Native Americans, their natural resources and their environment as it relates to air, land and water. To accomplish this mission, ITEC provides technical support, training, and environmental services in a variety of environmental disciplines. The Cherokee Nation participates in numerous joint programs with

7200-576: The right to vote in the special election for principal chief, at the risk of violating its constitution and the US Constitution. On September 14, the Cherokee AG recommended reinstatement of the Freedmen, pending a hearing for oral arguments. On September 20, Judge Henry Kennedy of the US District Court announced the Cherokee Nation, Freedmen plaintiffs and US government had come to an agreement in

7296-645: The six progenitor families. All Cherokees are documented through ancestral enrollment on either the Old Settler Payment Roll or the Guion Miller Roll. The Cherokee Nation controls Cherokee Nation Businesses , a holding company which owns companies in gaming , construction, aerospace and defense, manufacturing, technology, real estate, and healthcare industries. The Nation also operates its own housing authority and issues Tribal vehicle and boat tags. The Cherokee Nation's estimated annual economic impact

7392-460: The sovereignty of Native Tribes, defining their relationship in political rather than racial terms, and have stated it is a compelling interest of the United States. This principle of self-government and tribal sovereignty is controversial. According to the Boston College sociologist and Cherokee, Eva Marie Garroutte, up to 32 separate definitions of "Indian" are used in federal legislation, as of

7488-584: The structure of the tribal council, and removed the need to ask the Bureau of Indian Affairs' permission to amend the constitution. The tribe and Bureau of Indian Affairs negotiated changes to the new constitution, and it was ratified in 2003. Confusion resulted when the US Secretary of the Interior would not approve it. To overcome the impasse, the Cherokee Nation voted by referendum to amend its 1975/1976 Constitution "to remove Presidential approval authority," allowing

7584-676: The trail, with primitive shelters at Deep Gap and Butter Gap. Starting in 2001, an adventure run of the entire trail is held on the Winter Solstice . The Art Loeb Trail intersects with several trails, Mountains-to-Sea Trail , Farlow Gap , Butter Gap Trail, the Estatoe Trail, and others. 35°16′42″N 82°51′58″W  /  35.2784403°N 82.8662413°W  / 35.2784403; -82.8662413 Cherokee Nation The Cherokee Nation ( Cherokee : ᏣᎳᎩᎯ ᎠᏰᎵ Tsalagihi Ayeli or ᏣᎳᎩᏰᎵ Tsalagiyehli ), formerly known as

7680-506: The tribal district court ruled that the special election in 2007 on the constitutional amendment was unconstitutional, as it excluded Freedmen from voting. The Nation appealed. On August 22, 2011, the Cherokee Supreme Court upheld the results of the 2007 special election. Chuck Trimble, a former executive director of the National Congress of American Indians , characterized the decision as the "Cherokee Dred Scott Decision", for depriving

7776-491: The tribe convened a general convention in Fairfield, Oklahoma to elect a Chief. They chose J. B. Milam as principal chief. President Franklin D. Roosevelt confirmed the election in 1941. W. W. Keeler was appointed chief in 1949. After the U.S. government under President Richard Nixon had adopted a self-determination policy, the nation was able to rebuild its government. The people elected W. W. Keeler as chief. Keeler, who

7872-511: The tribe from obtaining full Cherokee Nation citizenship rights." However, all citizenship is still based on finding an ancestor tied to the Dawes Rolls, which is not without its own controversy apart from blood quantum. Some people of descent are still excluded, like the author Shonda Buchanan who states in her memoir Black Indian that she has ancestors on Cherokee Rolls that were not the Dawes, so would thus still not be recognized. The changes to

7968-513: The tribe to independently ratify and amend its own constitution. As of August 9, 2007, the BIA gave the Cherokee Nation consent to amend its Constitution without approval from the Department of the Interior. The Cherokee freedmen , descendants of African American slaves owned by citizens of the Cherokee Nation during the Antebellum Period , were first guaranteed Cherokee citizenship under

8064-570: The tribe's jurisdiction. On July 9, 2020, the United States Supreme Court ruled in a 5–4 decision that the original treaties, and promise of a reservation, with the Five Civilized Tribes (specifically the Muscogee in McGirt v. Oklahoma ) were never withdrawn. This decision allowed for the restoration of the reservation status of the Cherokee Nation in a later decision. The majority opinion

8160-431: The two must be a lawyer and the other must not be. A seventh member is chosen jointly by the three branches of government. Current members of the Cherokee Nation Supreme Court are: The Cherokee Nation also has the right to appoint a delegate to the U.S. House of Representatives , per the 1835 Treaty of New Echota . In 2019, Kimberly Teehee was appointed the first ever delegate to the U.S. House of Representatives from

8256-435: The use of the Dawes Roll to determine membership, stating that at one point he was only a registered voter in the Nation but did not actually hold a CDIB card as required by the nation, leading him to leave the tribe for the UKB, which required less "documentation" at the time, but still required blood quantum. Conley condemns the Dawes Rolls for "being inefficient, faulty, even fraudulent" and stating that if "the Cherokee Nation

8352-682: The virus. The memorial honored 107 Cherokees including more than 50 Cherokee first-language speaking elders. On August 3, 2021, the Cherokee Nation Health Services suspended elective surgeries after experiencing an 80% increase in COVID-19 cases. It also activated its "surge plan" for W.W. Hastings Hospital in Tahlequah, Oklahoma . The "surge plan" increases the in-patient capacity of the hospital by 50% by reallocating non- Intensive Care Unit space to emergency room space. The COVID-19 delta variant accounted for 80% of new cases in

8448-602: The way, the hiker encounters some unique geology. From Pilot Mountain, there's a view of the Looking Glass Rock pluton . Close to Butter Gap is Cedar Rock, a large granite outcropping. In addition, Shining Rock and its cluster of quartz boulders can be encountered via a side trail. The trail sees many hikers taking advantage of the trail's proximity to the Blue Ridge Parkway and Asheville , in addition to literary enthusiasts exploring Cold Mountain. Hikers around in

8544-508: The words of the UKB Council. While a date was set for the meeting between council members of the Cherokee Nation and UKB, Chief Chad Smith vetoed the meeting. The "Loyal Shawnee," Shawnee people who sided with the Union Army during the American Civil War , were forcibly removed from Kansas, and 722 Loyal Shawnee joined the Cherokee Nation in Indian Territory in 1869. In 2000, they left

8640-457: Was 65 years of age or older. The average household size was 2.37 and the average family size was 2.84. In the county, the population was spread out, with 22.60% under the age of 18, 6.40% from 18 to 24, 22.30% from 25 to 44, 26.90% from 45 to 64, and 21.80% who were 65 years of age or older. The median age was 44 years. For every 100 females there were 91.70 males. For every 100 females age 18 and over, there were 89.30 males. The median income for

8736-527: Was also the president of Phillips Petroleum , was succeeded by Ross Swimmer . In 1975, the tribe drafted a constitution, under the name Cherokee Nation of Oklahoma, which was ratified on June 26, 1976. In 1985 Wilma Mankiller was elected as the first female chief of the Cherokee Nation. The Cherokee Nation was seriously destabilized in May 1997 in what was variously described as either a nationalist "uprising" or an "anti-constitutional coup" instigated by Joe Byrd ,

8832-485: Was established at statehood in 1907, when the population was 17,975. Before statehood, the area had been part of the Eufaula District of the Creek Nation. The county gained some land from Hughes County in 1915, but lost some land to Okmulgee County in 1918. The former moved the community of Hanna from Hughes County. The latter moved the towns of Grayson and Hoffman into Okmulgee County. Between 1907 and 1909,

8928-615: Was formed as a political organization in 1871 by William Penn Adair and Clement Neely Vann, for descendants of the Texas Cherokees and the Mount Tabor Community . They wanted to gain redress from treaty violations, stemming from the Treaty of Bowles Village of 1836. Following the Cherokee Nation's 1976 ratification of their 1975 constitution, it excluded from tribal citizenship those Mount Tabor descendants whose ancestors had remained

9024-491: Was held by justices Sonia Sotomayor , Ruth Bader Ginsburg , Elena Kagan , Stephen Breyer , and Neil Gorsuch . Hogner v. Oklahoma was decided on March 11, 2021 in Oklahoma Courts and found that the Cherokee Nation "reservation was established and had never been disestablished." Cherokee Nation Principal Chief Chuck Hoskin, Jr. said: "We have long held that Cherokee Nation has a reservation, rooted in our treaties, as

9120-467: Was legalized through an opinion by Todd Hembree, the Cherokee Nation's attorney general. In the opinion, Hembree stated that the 2004 law violated the Cherokee Constitution, which requires equal treatment of tribal citizens. He issued the opinion because the director of the tribe's tax commission sought a decision as to whether the tribe could issue a vehicle tag to a same-sex couple married outside

9216-572: Was required to attend a meeting in Washington, DC with the Bureau of Indian Affairs , at which he was compelled to reopen the courts. He served the remainder of his elected term. In 1999, Byrd lost the election for Principal Chief to Chad Smith but was elected to the Tribal Council in 2013. A new constitution was drafted in 1999 that included mechanisms for voters to remove officials from offices, changed

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