OKGEN-L Archives

From: "Eleanor Wyatt" <>
Subject: [OKGEN ] Freedmen Conference
Date: Fri, 01 Nov 2002 13:45:51 -0600

For Immediate Release-

Black Indians To Convene In Historic Celebration!
"Freedmen Into Perfect Equality Of Citizenship"

(Hon. Henry L. Dawes LL.D. Former Massachusetts Senator, Commissioner to the
5 Civilized Tribes, circa 1900 Lake Mohonk, New York)
Announces Conference Registration, For:
Descendants of Freedmen of the 5 Civilized Tribes Association
1st Annual Summer Conference
May 29-June 1, 2003

Members of the Descendants of Freedmen of the 5 Civilized Tribes
Association, have finalized plans for a huge Conference and Celebration
Extravaganza, to be held in Oklahoma, the final leg of the journey for their
ancestors whose lives intertwine inextricably with the infamous Trail of
Tears.

The Descendants of Freedmen of the 5 Civilized Tribes Association, a
non-profit service organization, registered in the State of Oklahoma, whose
members are largely Lineal Descendants of the more than 40,000 former Slaves
of the Indian Territory that were freed with the negotiated Treaties of 1866
between the U.S. Government and the Sovereign Nations of the 5 Civilized
Tribes, now announces the first ever grand-scale undertaking since the days
of the Freedmen's Bureau, to unite African Ancestored Native American
Descendants of Freedmen from all "5" of the Civilized Tribes (Cherokee,
Chickasaw, Choctaw, Creek and Seminole Nations of Indians) who are now
scattered across the United States and abroad.

Association Members are those having ancestor's that were enumerated upon
the Indian Census occurring between 1898 and 1907, formally known as the
"Final Rolls of Citizens and Freedmen of the 5 Civilized Tribes In Indian
Territory, Prepared by The Commission and Commissioners To The 5 Civilized
Tribes." The Rolls were Approved by the Secretary of the Interior On or
Prior to 1907 (and was subsequently reopened briefly in order to satisfy
Supreme Court Orders in response to litigation) closed finally in 1914. The
list was compiled and printed Under Authority Conferred by the Act of
Congress, Approved June 21, 1906 (34 Stat. L.325). These Commission Census
Documents are more commonly referred to as the "Dawes Rolls", so called in
reference the Honorable Henry L. Dawes LL.D. former Massachusetts Senator,
the man appointed Commissioner To The Five Civilized Tribes by the
Government to carry out its purposes, he was a self proclaimed "friend of
the Indian".

The undisputed goal of the Commission appointed by Congress "was to persuade
the governments of the Five Civilized Tribes to negotiate themselves out of
existence, an essential first step in implementing a policy of allotting
land to each individual Indian." Many of the Lineal Descendants of the
African Native Americans set to attend the Conference can trace their
lineage back to the families of these land owning Indians and even more can
trace their ancestry back to Indians on the Dawes Blood Rolls.

Among the many issues to be considered at the gathering will be that despite
the presence of Freedmen Ancestors upon the Federally Compiled, Completed
and Approved Indian Rolls, Freedmen Descendants of the Modern Era are
finding the Dawes Rolls now being used in an even more malevolent manner by
the Current Tribal Governments of the Indian Nations than originally
intended, and that as recent as the year 2002 Freedmen Descendants also find
that they have been virtually legislated out of the existence of all 5
Tribes by oppressive Tribal Acts, Resolutions, Laws, Constitutions,
Segregationist Practices and Unevenly Applied Governmental Policies and
Procedures, unchallenged thus far (with the unusual exception of the
Seminole Freedmen).

In an unprecedented show of Unity and Solidarity, the Descendants of
Freedmen of the 5 Civilized Tribes Association has challenged itself to a
commitment of making this Conference a wonderful learning opportunity and a
chance to bring African Ancestored Native American Descendants, Members and
Others, together with an impressive gathering of Genealogists, Researchers,
Socio-Economic Analysts, Politicians, Political Advocates, Attorneys, Legal
Authorities, Educators, Authors, Media Representatives, Freedmen Activists,
Museum Executives, Tribal Representatives, Anthropologists, Health and
Welfare Professionals, African Native American Indian Representatives of
other Nations, Interested Persons, Students, Friends and Supporters, to
affect an awareness of the Citizenship, Enrollment, Land, Legal and other
issues facing Modern Freedmen.

A good time is sure to be had by all, as participants will partake in the
pleasures of our host city and facility, the NCED Marriott Conference Center
and Hotel, located in Norman, Oklahoma (a 30 minute drive from Oklahoma
City). An all-inclusive Conference Package will be offered.

Planned are Keynote Speakers, Lectures, Presentations and Town Hall
Discussions presented by Freedmen and Indian Territory Experts, Luminaries
and Black Indian Descendants. Participants will enjoy an Outdoor Bar-B-Que
Cookout, Banquet Gala and Award Presentations, Musical Guest Stars and
Cultural Entertainment, Interpretive Indian Slave Narrative Re-enactments,
Dance and Vendors and Sponsor Showcase.

All persons receiving this notification have had their name and email
address submitted by a member of the Descendants of Freedmen of the 5
Civilized Tribes Association.

We are asking that you send a return email to;
Indicating your interest in an informational conference registration packet,
and an address you would prefer your packet mailed. Included will be a
conference flyer, registration form, membership application,
speaker/presenter proposal, vendor application and sponsor packages.

If you prefer, submit a written request for Conference Registration Packet
to:
Descendants of Freedmen of the 5 Civilized Tribes Association Conference
P.O. Box 3324
Enid, Oklahoma 73701

Don't Miss Securing Your All-Inclusive Package To This Historic Event!

Association Board Member, Chair Bylaws-Conference Committees
Angela Molette (Choctaw-Chickasaw)
Freedmen Descendants of the 5 Civilized Tribes Association
P.O. Box 42221
Oklahoma City, Oklahoma 73123
Association President-Marilyn Vann (Cherokee-Choctaw)
Association Vice President-Eleanor "Gypsy" Wyatt
(Choctaw-Chickasaw-Creek-Cherokee)
Association Treasurer-Gail Jackson
Association Spiritual Advisor-Ronald Graham (Creek)
Association Secretary-Rose Mamaghanyzadeh (Cherokee-Choctaw)

Eleanor 'Gypsy' Wyatt

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