Page 4 - aruba-today-20230929

A4 U.S. NEWS
Friday 29 September 2023

Muscogee Nation judge rules in favor of citizenship for slave

descendants known as freedmen

By SEAN MURPHY tions were referred to his-
Associated Press torically as the Five Civilized
OKLAHOMA CITY (AP) — A Tribes, or Five Tribes, by Eu-
judge for the Muscogee ropean settlers because
(Creek) Nation in Oklaho- they often assimilated into
ma ruled in favor of citizen- the settlers’ culture, adopt-
ship for two descendants of ing their style of dress and
Black slaves once owned religion, and even owning
by tribal members, poten- slaves. Each tribe also has
tially paving the way for a unique history with freed-
hundreds of other descen- men, whose rights were ulti-
dants known as freedmen. mately spelled out in sepa-
District Judge Denette rate treaties with the U.S.
Mouser, based in the tribe’s Mouser pointed out in her
headquarters in Okmulgee, decision that slavery within
ruled late Wednesday in fa- the tribe did not always
vor of two Black Muscogee look like slavery in the South
Nation freedmen, Rhonda and that slaves were often
Grayson and Jeff Kennedy, adopted into the owner’s
who had sued the tribe’s clan, where they partici-
citizenship board for deny- pated in cultural ceremo-
ing their applications. nies and spoke the tribal
Mouser reversed the language.
board’s decision and or- Plaintiff Rhonda Grayson speaks outside of the Muscogee Nation court building after a hearing “The families later known as
dered it to reconsider the challenging the Muscogee citizenship board on Thursday, Dec. 1, 2022, in Okmulgee, Okla. Creek Freedmen likewise
Associated Press
applications in accor- walked the Trail of Tears
dance with the tribe’s Trea- granted full citizenship to plans to immediately ap- to follow, makes no provi- alongside the tribal clans
ty of 1866, which provides its freedmen, while other peal the ruling to the Mus- sions for citizenship for non- and fought to protect the
that descendants of those tribes, like the Muscogee cogee Nation’s Supreme Creek individuals. We look new homeland upon ar-
listed on the Creek Freed- Nation, have argued that Court. forward to addressing this rival in Indian Territory,”
men Roll are eligible for sovereignty allows tribes to “We respect the authority matter before our Nation’s Mouser wrote. “During that
tribal citizenship. make their own decisions of our court but strongly dis- highest court.” time, the Freedmen fami-
Freedman citizenship has about who qualifies for citi- agree with Judge Mouser’s Tribal officials declined to lies played significant roles
been a difficult issue for zenship. deeply flawed reasoning comment further. in tribal government includ-
tribes as the U.S. reckons Muscogee Nation Attorney in this matter,” Wisner said. The Cherokee, Chicka- ing as tribal town leaders
with its history of racism. General Geri Wisner said in “The MCN Constitution, saw, Choctaw, Muscogee in the House of Kings and
The Cherokee Nation has a statement that the tribe which we are duty-bound (Creek) and Seminole na- House of Warriors.”q

Plane that crashed, killing Rep. Peltola’s husband, had over 500

pounds of meat and antlers on board

By BECKY BOHRER the National Transportation cause findings could take According to the report, pounds of meat in this load
Associated Press Safety Board states. up to two years, the NTSB two days before the crash, than the initial one. Peltola
JUNEAU, Alaska (AP) — A A final report with probable has said. Peltola took five hunters, a strapped antlers to the right
small plane that crashed guide and equipment from wing strut, the report states.
in rural Alaska earlier this Holy Cross to a site about Peltola and one of the
month, killing the husband 80 miles (129 kilometers) hunters talked about the
of U.S. Rep. Mary Peltola, northwest of the commu- weather and wind, which
was carrying more than nity, where the group set was “intermittently variable
500 pounds of moose meat up camp next to a landing and gusting,” and Peltola
and antlers from a remote strip. The plan was for the was told the gusts were
hunting camp when it went group to hunt for moose stronger at the departure
down shortly after takeoff, and have it taken back to end of the airstrip, accord-
according to an investiga- Holy Cross. On Sept. 11, the ing to the report. Just two
tion report released Thurs- group got a moose and hunters were at the site
day. made plans with Peltola, when the accident hap-
Eugene Peltola Jr., 57, was via satellite messaging de- pened, and they rendered
the only person aboard the vices, for him to transport aid to Peltola after the
plane that crashed Sept. 12 the meat the next day. crash, said Clint Johnson,
about 65 miles (105 kilome- The day of the crash, Pel- chief of the Alaska region
ters) northeast of the small Speaker of the House Nancy Pelosi of Calif., left, administers the tola picked up one load of for the NTSB. The rest of the
House oath of office to Rep. Mary Peltola, D-Alaska, standing
western Alaska community next to her husband Eugene “Buzzy” Peltola Jr., center, during a meat and returned to the party had been flown out
of St. Mary’s. He was found ceremonial swearing-in on Capitol Hill in Washington, Tuesday, area for the second load. earlier, although Johnson
conscious but died at the Sept. 13, 2022. One of the hunters estimat- didn’t have further details
scene, the initial report from Associated Press ed there were 50-70 more about their departure.q