Support - Choctaw Freedmen in our Bid to Reclaim Citizenship-Choctaw Nation
The Issue
(Halito - Hello) Choctaw Freedmen Descendants & Supporters: *NO DONATIONS ARE REQUIRED for signing this Petition....
The Choctaw Freedmen descendants of the Burris-Coleman-Butler-Cole Family, Choctaw Freedmen Citizenship Footprints (CFCF) organization & Supporters are collecting signatures to secure a meeting with Chief Gary Batton of the Choctaw Nation. We want to discuss making changes to the Choctaw Nation Constitution to reclaim our Citizenship which was lost in 1983.
Choctaw Freedman were former enslaved people who lived, dressed, spoke the language, practiced the foods and traditions, and even married members within the Choctaw tribe. And, still today... many Choctaw Freedmen descendants still practice the traditions!
In 1885, full Citizenship was given to the Choctaw Freedmen & their descendants as listed in "Choctaw & Chickasaw Treaty of 1866" Article #1-4.
However, on July 9, 1983 some 98 yrs later after the Choctaw Freedmen lived and been recognized as citizens of the Choctaw Nation. The Choctaw Nation (CN) held a "special" election in 1983 to change their constitution changed its constitution to restrict membership to a "by blood" Dawes Rolls descendants and exclude Freedmen . And, its during this time when the Choctaw Freedmen & their Descendants showed up at the polls to vote. But, the Choctaw Nation had their voting card(s) taken and didn’t allow them to vote on this issue which affected their fate.
On May 27th & July 01, 2021 Chief Gary Batton published two (2) "Open Letters" on his Choctaw Nation's (CN) blog post website promising he would hold a meeting with the Choctaw Freedmen descendants to discuss citizenship - "The Choctaw Nation Taking first step to grant citizenship to Freedmen descendants" (see link below) www.ChoctawNation.com
Since May 2021, CFCF Inc have been advocating a meeting date with Chief Gary Batton as promised in his "open invitation" letter listed on his (CN) blog post website. We've sent registered letters, emails, made phone calls, etc. As of today... we still have not received 1 letter, email or phone call from the Choctaw Nation offering to meet with us to discuss this important issue.
However, I have had the opportunity to attend and sit in on the July 27, 2022 hearing on the "Select Provisions of the 1866 Reconstruction Treaties between the United States and Oklahoma Tribes". The Committee members on the U.S. Senate of Indian Affairs did request that a GOA Study be completed for the Freedmen Descendants. In January 2026 the U.S. Govt' Accountability Office released a detailed GOA report (see link below). However, I've a highlighted list of 4 items why a GOA Study was done - GAO-26-107118: https://www.gao.gov/assets/gao-26-107118-highlights.pdf
Link to Read the Full GAO-26-107188 Report: https://files.gao.gov/reports/GAO-26-107118/index.html
- The estimated population of Freedmen descendants of the Five Tribes,
- Described key court decisions on Freedmen descendants' eligibility for tribal citizenship,
- Described the barriers to certain federal services identified by enrolled Freedmen descendants and agency actions to address them, and
- Described how Freedmen descendants are regarded differently than other citizens of the Five Tribes under certain federal statutes.
Let's keep in mind the GAO interviewes were held July 27, 2022 during the "Select Provisions of the 1866 Reconstruction Treaties between the United States and Oklahoma Tribes" hearing. The hearing reflected only one (1) Freedmen representative who was from the Cherokee Nation, an association that represents Freedmen descendants, 19 Freedmen descendants enrolled as tribal citizens in the Cherokee and Seminole Nations, and federal agency officials.
****Freedmen are not a "monolithic" group of people that belong to only one (1) of the Five Tribes. This July 27, 2022 "Select Provisions of the 1866 Reconstruction Treaties between the United States and Oklahoma Tribes" hearing allowed only one (1) organization and/or association (Cherokee Freedmen - Marilyn Vann) to attempt to speak and try to represent all the Freedmen in a 5-10 minute time constraint she was given.
- GAO interviewed 19 individual Freedmen which were all enrolled citizens of either the Cherokee or Seminole Nations—12 Cherokee and 7 Seminole. However, CFCF Inc believes these 12 Cherokee & 7 Seminole Freedmen experiences could not, by themselves, fully represent the other Freedmen descendants which are connected to the Chickasaw, Choctaw, and Muscogee (Creek) Nations.
- Three (3) Freedmen tribal groups (Choctaw, Chickasaw, and Muscogee (Creek) were excluded from the discussion table during the July 27, 2022 hearing. I sit there along with another freedmen group rep (Creek) in the room and held my voice while watching 1 speaker (Marilyn Vann) try to represent all five Freedmen groups.
Why the Choctaw & Chickasaw's representation mattered during this hearing???
- The three tribes (Choctaw, Chickasaw & Creek) have different citizenship situations.
- Their perspectives are therefore particularly important when discussing citizenship, access to programs, and the consequences of the 1866 treaties
- An Freedmen advocacy organization like CFCF Inc. can provide a broader perspective than the one (1) person individual interview
- GAO and the Committee Members on the U.S. Senate of Indian Affairs during this hearing should have looked beyond a handful of individual experiences from on one (1) or (2) Freedmen Tribe groups and identify issues affecting Freedmen descendants on a more broad spectrum.
- It's also important for completeness and fairness to the other three Freedmen Tribe Groups & Organizations that attended the hearing. These two (2) Freedmen group from the Cherokee and Seminole had very limited representation of all the other three (3) Freedmen population.
Let's remember the "1887 Dawes Act" used "blood quantum" as a qualification for the number# of acres of land Dawes applicants (including the once Enslaved Choctaw Freedmen) received. (Verses)
Choctaw Freedmen & their Descendants gained their full Citizenship from the "Choctaw & Chickasaw Treaty of 1866" in Articles #1-4. And no where in the 51 Articles in this treaty does it mention or use "blood quantum" as a qualification for "full" citizenship for the Choctaw Freedmen & Their Descendants.
In closing...please take a moment to "ADD" your name to our petition stating you agree &/or support the CFCF organization's right to have a "seat at the table" to address reclaiming "FULL" citizenship for their Choctaw Freedmen Descendants as written & as promised in the treaty.
Yakoke (Thank you) for Your Support!
Doris Burris Williamson - President of Choctaw Freedmen Citizenship Footprints, Inc. 501(c)3 IRS Organization Tax ID EIN# 87-3711805
P.S. Listen in on our -Audio recording reading Articles #1-#4 in Choctaw & Chickasaw Treaty of 1866 on YouTube.com
Please feel free to visit our CFCF website & donate:
https://choctawfreedmencitizenshipfootprints.com/donate/
www.choctawfreedmencitizenshipfooptrints.com
2,691
The Issue
(Halito - Hello) Choctaw Freedmen Descendants & Supporters: *NO DONATIONS ARE REQUIRED for signing this Petition....
The Choctaw Freedmen descendants of the Burris-Coleman-Butler-Cole Family, Choctaw Freedmen Citizenship Footprints (CFCF) organization & Supporters are collecting signatures to secure a meeting with Chief Gary Batton of the Choctaw Nation. We want to discuss making changes to the Choctaw Nation Constitution to reclaim our Citizenship which was lost in 1983.
Choctaw Freedman were former enslaved people who lived, dressed, spoke the language, practiced the foods and traditions, and even married members within the Choctaw tribe. And, still today... many Choctaw Freedmen descendants still practice the traditions!
In 1885, full Citizenship was given to the Choctaw Freedmen & their descendants as listed in "Choctaw & Chickasaw Treaty of 1866" Article #1-4.
However, on July 9, 1983 some 98 yrs later after the Choctaw Freedmen lived and been recognized as citizens of the Choctaw Nation. The Choctaw Nation (CN) held a "special" election in 1983 to change their constitution changed its constitution to restrict membership to a "by blood" Dawes Rolls descendants and exclude Freedmen . And, its during this time when the Choctaw Freedmen & their Descendants showed up at the polls to vote. But, the Choctaw Nation had their voting card(s) taken and didn’t allow them to vote on this issue which affected their fate.
On May 27th & July 01, 2021 Chief Gary Batton published two (2) "Open Letters" on his Choctaw Nation's (CN) blog post website promising he would hold a meeting with the Choctaw Freedmen descendants to discuss citizenship - "The Choctaw Nation Taking first step to grant citizenship to Freedmen descendants" (see link below) www.ChoctawNation.com
Since May 2021, CFCF Inc have been advocating a meeting date with Chief Gary Batton as promised in his "open invitation" letter listed on his (CN) blog post website. We've sent registered letters, emails, made phone calls, etc. As of today... we still have not received 1 letter, email or phone call from the Choctaw Nation offering to meet with us to discuss this important issue.
However, I have had the opportunity to attend and sit in on the July 27, 2022 hearing on the "Select Provisions of the 1866 Reconstruction Treaties between the United States and Oklahoma Tribes". The Committee members on the U.S. Senate of Indian Affairs did request that a GOA Study be completed for the Freedmen Descendants. In January 2026 the U.S. Govt' Accountability Office released a detailed GOA report (see link below). However, I've a highlighted list of 4 items why a GOA Study was done - GAO-26-107118: https://www.gao.gov/assets/gao-26-107118-highlights.pdf
Link to Read the Full GAO-26-107188 Report: https://files.gao.gov/reports/GAO-26-107118/index.html
- The estimated population of Freedmen descendants of the Five Tribes,
- Described key court decisions on Freedmen descendants' eligibility for tribal citizenship,
- Described the barriers to certain federal services identified by enrolled Freedmen descendants and agency actions to address them, and
- Described how Freedmen descendants are regarded differently than other citizens of the Five Tribes under certain federal statutes.
Let's keep in mind the GAO interviewes were held July 27, 2022 during the "Select Provisions of the 1866 Reconstruction Treaties between the United States and Oklahoma Tribes" hearing. The hearing reflected only one (1) Freedmen representative who was from the Cherokee Nation, an association that represents Freedmen descendants, 19 Freedmen descendants enrolled as tribal citizens in the Cherokee and Seminole Nations, and federal agency officials.
****Freedmen are not a "monolithic" group of people that belong to only one (1) of the Five Tribes. This July 27, 2022 "Select Provisions of the 1866 Reconstruction Treaties between the United States and Oklahoma Tribes" hearing allowed only one (1) organization and/or association (Cherokee Freedmen - Marilyn Vann) to attempt to speak and try to represent all the Freedmen in a 5-10 minute time constraint she was given.
- GAO interviewed 19 individual Freedmen which were all enrolled citizens of either the Cherokee or Seminole Nations—12 Cherokee and 7 Seminole. However, CFCF Inc believes these 12 Cherokee & 7 Seminole Freedmen experiences could not, by themselves, fully represent the other Freedmen descendants which are connected to the Chickasaw, Choctaw, and Muscogee (Creek) Nations.
- Three (3) Freedmen tribal groups (Choctaw, Chickasaw, and Muscogee (Creek) were excluded from the discussion table during the July 27, 2022 hearing. I sit there along with another freedmen group rep (Creek) in the room and held my voice while watching 1 speaker (Marilyn Vann) try to represent all five Freedmen groups.
Why the Choctaw & Chickasaw's representation mattered during this hearing???
- The three tribes (Choctaw, Chickasaw & Creek) have different citizenship situations.
- Their perspectives are therefore particularly important when discussing citizenship, access to programs, and the consequences of the 1866 treaties
- An Freedmen advocacy organization like CFCF Inc. can provide a broader perspective than the one (1) person individual interview
- GAO and the Committee Members on the U.S. Senate of Indian Affairs during this hearing should have looked beyond a handful of individual experiences from on one (1) or (2) Freedmen Tribe groups and identify issues affecting Freedmen descendants on a more broad spectrum.
- It's also important for completeness and fairness to the other three Freedmen Tribe Groups & Organizations that attended the hearing. These two (2) Freedmen group from the Cherokee and Seminole had very limited representation of all the other three (3) Freedmen population.
Let's remember the "1887 Dawes Act" used "blood quantum" as a qualification for the number# of acres of land Dawes applicants (including the once Enslaved Choctaw Freedmen) received. (Verses)
Choctaw Freedmen & their Descendants gained their full Citizenship from the "Choctaw & Chickasaw Treaty of 1866" in Articles #1-4. And no where in the 51 Articles in this treaty does it mention or use "blood quantum" as a qualification for "full" citizenship for the Choctaw Freedmen & Their Descendants.
In closing...please take a moment to "ADD" your name to our petition stating you agree &/or support the CFCF organization's right to have a "seat at the table" to address reclaiming "FULL" citizenship for their Choctaw Freedmen Descendants as written & as promised in the treaty.
Yakoke (Thank you) for Your Support!
Doris Burris Williamson - President of Choctaw Freedmen Citizenship Footprints, Inc. 501(c)3 IRS Organization Tax ID EIN# 87-3711805
P.S. Listen in on our -Audio recording reading Articles #1-#4 in Choctaw & Chickasaw Treaty of 1866 on YouTube.com
Please feel free to visit our CFCF website & donate:
https://choctawfreedmencitizenshipfootprints.com/donate/
www.choctawfreedmencitizenshipfooptrints.com
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Petition created on August 2, 2021