The legal battle over custody of Veronica Brown has brought up a rarely asked question: Who is a Cherokee? The United States Supreme Court points out that Veronica is just 1.2 percent Cherokee. Yet she is entitled to full membership in the tribe and the legal protections that come with it. Article Four of the Cherokee Nation constitution addresses citizenship. The requirements are simple, laid out in a few seconds by Cherokee Nation Attorney General Todd Hembree. "All citizens of Cherokee Nation must be original enrollees or descendants of original enrollees of the Dawes Commission Rolls," Hembree said. "There is no blood quantum requirement." Yet the Supreme Court opinion in Adoptive Couple v. Baby Girl mentions Veronica's blood quantum four times. The assertions that she's 3/256 Cherokee don't sit well with the tribe, said Jason Aamodt, an attorney focused on tribal issues.Get the Story:
Baby Veronica Case Stirs Questions About Blood Quantum: Hear Our Special Report (Public Radio Tulsa 8/22)
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