Freedmen protest outside of Rep. Boren's office

Monday, March 3, 2008  

Descendants of the Cherokee Freedmen held a protest outside the Muskogee, Oklahoma, office of Rep. Dan Boren (D-Oklahoma) on Friday.

The protesters said they have been refused meetings with Boren. But Boren, whose district includes the Cherokee Nation, said he has no record of a request by Marilyn Vann, president of the Cherokee Freedmen Association, to talk about the issue.

Cherokee voters amended the tribal constitution last year to deny citizenship to Freedmen who cannot show they have an Indian ancestor. The Freedmen have been temporarily reinstated pending a tribal court ruling on the validity of the vote.

In Congress, Boren has opposed efforts to cut funding to the Cherokee Nation over the removal of the Freedmen.

Get the Story:
Freedmen say their concerns are ignored (The Oklahoman 3/1)
pwpwd
Demonstration seeks help on freedmen issue (The Muskogee Phoenix 3/1)

Cherokee-Related Legislation:
H.R.2786 | H.R.2895 | H.R.2824 | H.R.3002

BIA Letters:
August 9, 2007 | July 11, 2007 | June 22, 2007 | May 21, 2007 | March 28, 2007 | August 30, 2006

Sovereign Immunity Court Decision:
Vann v. Kempthorne (December 19, 2006)

Cherokee Nation Judicial Appeals Tribunal Decision in Freedmen Case:
Allen v. Cherokee Nation (March 7, 2006)

Relevant Links:
Cherokee Nation - http://www.cherokee.org
Freedmen Of The Five Civilized Tribes - http://www.freedmen5tribes.com
Freedmen Conference - http://www.freedmenconference.com

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