Cherokee

Dawes Commission Negotiations

In August 1897, the National Keetoowah Convention members expressed strong opposition to the Dawes Commission, which aimed to negotiate new treaties that would change the Cherokees’ land and governance. They demanded that the U.S. respect their existing treaties, arguing that their rights had been violated. During conferences with the commission, full-blooded Cherokees eloquently conveyed their desire to maintain their sovereignty and criticized the imposition of white laws, urging for the preservation of their laws and treaties. The commissioners acknowledged their sentiments but stated that Congress’s decisions were beyond their control, highlighting tensions over tribal rights.

Trust Funds

On January 1, 1870, the U.S. Government managed several trust funds for the Indians of Northeastern Oklahoma, including significant sums for the Cherokee and Creek tribes. The text critiques the misconceptions held by Easterners about Native Americans, particularly the portrayal of the Five Tribes. It highlights the disconnect between traditional stereotypes and the contemporary realities of these tribes, emphasizing their modern identity over outdated romanticized images. This underscores a need for greater understanding and respect for the current lives and representations of the members of these tribes.

Additional Cherokee Treaties

Eleventh Cherokee Treaty A delegation, soon afterward, explored the Arkansas River country and reported that they had found a suitable tract which was not claimed by any other Indians, and on July 8, 1817, the chiefs, head men and warriors again met Gen. Andrew Jackson and two other United States commissioners at the Cherokee Agency and negotiated their Eleventh Treaty, by the terms of which the Indians ceded a large portion of their rapidly disappearing reservation east of the Mississippi in exchange for an equal number of acres out in the White and Arkansas rivers country. The United States authorities … Read more