On Saturday November 12, 2011, The Descendants of Freedmen Association will host their next meeting at the Rudisill Library, 1520 N Hartford, Tulsa Oklahoma ONE PM. The meeting is free and open to the public.

Saturday December 3, 2011. The Descendants of Freedmen Association will host the December meeting at the First Missionary Baptist Church, 429 Denison Street, Muskogee, Okla. One PM. Please bring a covered dish to share with other meeting attendants.

Saturday January 28, 2012 – Meeting tentatively set for Oklahoma City, Faith Memorial Baptist Church 3117 N Kelly, One pm. .

Saturday February 11^th 2012 Freedmen History Program.  Martin Luther King Center, 627 N 3^rd Street, Muskogee, Oklahoma One pm to Four pm.  Meeting Free and Open to the public.

Descendants of Freedmen Association President Marilyn Vann will speak at University of Central Oklahoma on November 1, 12:30pm at the Theatre

Marilyn Vann will be a panelist at the University of Arkansas in Little Rock Arkansas on the Cherokee freedmen issue, November 14, 2011. Dr Dan Littlefield will also be a panelist.

Creek Nation elections set for November 5 2011

http://64.38.12.138/News/2011/003052.asp

Please continue to support the Freedmen Federal litigation and educational outreach. Send your tax deductible donations to African Indians Foundation, Box 42452, Oklahoma City, Okla. 73123. See also our African Indians Link.

During the contentious Cherokee Nation election, Cherokee freedmen tribal members’ citizenship rights were removed by the tribal Supreme Court on August 22, 2011.  This action was taken just before absentee ballots were set to be sent out to tribal voters.   The justices had been appointed by then Tribal Chief Chad Smith.

http://64.38.12.138/News/2011/002829.asp

http://turtletalk.wordpress.com/2011/08/25/treaty-rights-and-the-cherokee-freedmen-decision/

Article by Robert Warrior on Cherokee Freedmen August 2011

http://turtletalk.wordpress.com/2011/08/23/news-from-indian-country-op-ed-on-cherokee-freedmen/

On September 2, 2011, Cherokee freedmen and attorneys in the Vann et al case filed motions to block their disenrollment by the tribal Supreme Court.  On September 9^th 2011, Department of Interior Assistant Secretary Echohawk filed briefs in the Vann case and sent a letter to Acting Chief Joe Crittenden that the DOI would not recognize a principal Chief election in which Cherokee freedmen tribal members were not allowed to vote:  HUD also froze more than $30 million in funds for Indian Housing for the tribe due to the freedmen disenrollment.

http://64.38.12.138/News/2011/002970.asp

http://www.sequoyahcountytimes.com/view/full_story/15490179/article-Cherokees--HUD-at-odds-over-Freedmen-?instance=home_news_bullets

On September 21, 2011 after hearing oral arguments on September 20 2011 from attorneys representing the Cherokee freedmen, Cherokee nation and the department of Justice, Judge Kennedy signed an order in which all parties agreed that Cherokee freedmen would retain the rights of citizenship throughout the period in which the Vann and Nash cases were under consideration by the Federal Courts.  The agreements filed both in the Vann and the Nash case allowed freedmen tribal members to vote in the upcoming tribal election.

http://64.38.12.138/News/2011/003098.asphttp://www.originalpechanga.com/2011/09/agreement-reached-to-allow-freedmens.html

https://turtletalk.wordpress.com/2011/09/21/update-in-vann-v-salazar-with-materials-on-cherokee-principal-chief-election/

http://www.reuters.com/article/2011/09/21/us-cherokee-freedmen-idUSTRE78K08D20110921

http://www.theroot.com/buzz/black-cherokees-regain-tribal-citizenship

Marilyn Vann spoke on the Freedmen issues on blogtalk radio in September 2011

 http://www.blogtalkradio.com/redtownradio/2011/09/18/red-town-radio

NPR covered the freedmen story in September 2011

http://turtletalk.wordpress.com/2011/09/19/npr-coverage-of-cherokee-freedmen-controversy/

http://www.npr.org/2011/09/19/140594124/u-s-government-opposes-cherokee-nations-decision

CNN covered the Cherokee freedmen fight, interviewing Cherokee freedmen tribal member Sam Ford on September 20, 2011.

http://www.cnn.com/video/#/video/us/2011/10/05/bia-cherokee-freedmen.cnn

On September 2011, Judge Kennedy dismissed the Vann versus Salazar case on procedural grounds and transferred the Cherokee Nation VS Nash case back to the Northern District of Oklahoma.  Freedmen attorneys have 60 days from September 30 2011 to file appeals.  A notice of Appeal was filed with the Federal Court on November 3 2011.

http://www.blackoklahoman.com/archives/4533

http://www.thegrio.com/news/judge-tosses-1-of-2-suits-over-cherokee-freedmen.php

On October 11 2011, the tribal Supreme Court voided an order signed by Federal Judge Kennedy on September 21st 2011, however the tribal prosecutor stated since the Nash September 21 2011 order was still in effect that the Cherokee freedmen citizenship continued, the ballot counting in the Principal chiefs election should continue. The freedmen votes were counted in the principal Chief Election.  

http://turtletalk.wordpress.com/2011/10/12/commentary-cherokee-nation-sct-quashes-injunction-issued-by-federal-court-in-cherokee-freedmen-case/.

http://www.originalpechanga.com/2011/10/cherokee-freedmen-demand-federal.html

http://64.38.12.138/News/2011/003322.asp

October 2011 articles on Cherokee freedmen citizenship:

http://www.thetakeaway.org/2011/oct/19/fight-be-called-cherokee/

Article by John Stremlau of the Carter Commission on Cherokee freedmen participation in Chief election October 19 2011

http://www.cnn.com/2011/10/19/opinion/stremlau-cherokee-vote/?hpt=us_mid

On October 19 2011, Bill John Baker was sworn into office as Cherokee Principal Chief after the tribal Supreme Court refused to throw out the election due to freedmen voting in the election.  

http://www.fox23.com/news/local/story/Bill-John-Baker-sworn-in-as-Cherokee-Nation-Chief/lYKl3JPvV0aPolsIwnNN4A.cspx

Article by Cherokee freedmen descendant Kenneth Cooper on the Cherokee freedmen published October 26 2011

http://www.theroot.com/views/will-cherokee-freedman-finally-gain-tribal-rights?page=0%2C0&wpisrc=root_lightbox

Cherokee Nation Housing funds restored October 27, 2011 after HUD assured that freedmen voted in 2011 Principal Chief Race

http://mail.indianz.com/News/2011/003538.asp

http://www.cherokeephoenix.org/Article/Index/5639

The Keepseagle Indian Farmers discrimination lawsuit was settled in November 2010 in favor of the Indian Farmers.  The lawsuit is a class action lawsuit.  The URL https://www.indianfarmclass.com//Default.aspx  has information on how to obtain a claim package.  Qualifying Indian farmers include members of State and Federal recognized tribes as well as others of Indian heritage who have suffered discrimination by USDA officials.