The Freedmen have a right to belong to the Cherokee Nation of Oklahoma, the Obama administration said in a court filing.

The Freedmen, who are the descendants of former slaves, are entitled to citizenship and other tribal rights under an 1866 treaty, government attorneys wrote in a motion for summary judgement.

“The Cherokee Nation should be enjoined from denying tribal membership rights to descendants of those individuals listed on the Freedmen portion of the Cherokee Dawes Rolls,” acting assistant attorney general Robert Drehe wrote.

Oral arguments are scheduled for April 28 at 10am in Courtroom 25A of the federal court in Washington, D.C.

Turtle Talk has posted documents from the case, Cherokee Nation v. Nash.

Get the Story:
DOI requests summary judgement in Cherokee Freedmen case (The Native American Times 2/3)
Federal Government Seeks Summary Judgment In Cherokee Freedmen Case (News on 6 2/3)
Interior files motion for summary judgement in Freedmen case (The Tahlequah Daily Press 2/1)

Related Stories:
Judge sets oral arguments in Cherokee Nation Freedmen suit (9/18)
Freedmen leader eager for resolution of long-running dispute (9/17)
Parties seek decision on status of Cherokee Nation Freedmen (9/16)
This Land: One man's fight for Cherokee Freedmen justice (05/22)
Freedmen anticipate Cherokee Nation appeal to Supreme Court (03/14)
DC Circuit won't reconsider decision in Cherokee Freedmen suit (03/13)