Cherokee Nation Offers Citizenship Assistance in Rogers County

Native News Network Staff in Native Currents. Discussion »

TAHLEQUAH, OKLAHOMA – Over the next few months the Cherokee Nation is offering assistance with applications for Certificate of Degree of Indian Blood cards and Cherokee Nation citizenship in Rogers County. Help with registration will be available on Wednesday, April 25, Wednesday, May 23, and Wednesday, June 27, from 10 am to 3 pm at the Claremore Indian Hospital on Will Rogers Boulevard.

Cherokee Nation Registration

The main Cherokee Nation Registration Department office is in the WW Keeler Complex south of Tahlequah, 17675 S. Muskogee Avenue, and is open from 8 am to 5 pm, Monday through Friday. The Cherokee Nation does not charge a fee to apply for tribal citizenship.

In order to obtain a Certificate of Degree of Indian Blood card, applicants must formally apply and provide acceptable legal documents that connect them to an ancestor who is listed with a roll number and a blood degree from the final rolls of citizens of the Cherokee Nation, commonly called the Dawes Final Rolls. These rolls were compiled between the years 1899-1906. Quantum of Indian blood is computed from the nearest paternal and/or maternal direct ancestor(s) of Indian blood listed on the Final Rolls.

Many descendants of Cherokee Indians can neither be certified nor qualify for tribal citizenship in the Cherokee Nation because their ancestors were not enrolled during the final enrollment. Unfortunately, these ancestors did not meet the requirements for the final enrollment. The requirements at that time were:

If the ancestors had separated from the Cherokee Nation and settled in states such as Arkansas, Kansas, Missouri or Texas during that period, they lost their citizenship with the Cherokee Nation.

Only enrolled citizens of the Cherokee Nation named on the Final Rolls and/or their descendants are eligible for Certificates of Degree of Indian Blood and tribal citizenship.

posted April 14, 2012 10:00 am edt