Copyright © 2002 NLThomas
All Rights Reserved

Thelma Lee, at age 99, of Monkey Island, OK.

From 1897 to 1906, the federal government forced the Five Civilized Tribes living in Indian Territory to register in order to be considered citizens and receive allotments of land. Those who registered are known as original enrollees.

Each Labor Day weekend at the Cherokee National Holiday, the original enrollees are honored at a reception when they meet the Principal Chief and are presented gifts.

During the reception in 2001, they visited with Principal Chief Chad Smith. At the 2001 holiday, the tribe honored 10 original enrollees.

Each year the tribe gives special awards to the oldest enrollee and the one who traveled the furthest to attend. In 2001, Thelma Lee, 99, of Monkey Island, Okla., was the oldest. Glen Purcell traveled the furthest, coming all the way from Houston.

Today, 869 original enrollees are listed with the Cherokee Nation Registration Department, a considerable decrease from initial rolls. When the rolls closed on March 4, 1907, the Cherokee Nation had enrolled 6,601 full bloods, 29,986 part bloods (including 197 registered Delaware), 286 intermarried whites and 4,925 Negro Freedman, making a total of 41,798. The total was corrected to 41,693 in 1914, as a result of federal courts.

Registration and allotment were the brainchild of former Sen. Henry L. Dawes of Massachusetts, whose idea was memorialized with the passage of the General Allotment Act, also called the Dawes Act, in 1887.

The purpose of the General Allotment Act was to eliminate land held in common, tribal governments and to force the Indians to assimilate into Euro-American culture and society. Congress wanted the Cherokees to become farmers, in spite of the fact that much of the land was unsuitable for agriculture and the Cherokee Nation was thriving.

Shortly after allotment, con artists descended on the Cherokee Nation to buy land or gain title in questionable and illegal fashion. According to the congressional hearings on the Wheeler-Howard Indian Rights Bill in 1934, through the allotment process more than 80 percent of land held by Indians in 1887 had been taken away by 1934. The government succeeded in the elimination of commonly held land and eventually much of the individually held land, but they enjoyed only minor and temporary success in eliminating tribal governments and assimilation, and not without resistance.

The convoluted logic of Dawes is evident in his statement at the Lake Mohonk Conference in 1883 when he said of the Cherokee Nation: "there was not a family in that whole nation that had not a home of its own.

There was not a pauper in that nation, and the nation did not owe a dollar. It built its own capitol, in which we had this examination, and built its schools and its hospitals. Yet the defect of the system was apparent. They have got as far as they can go, because they own their land in common."

President Grover Cleveland signed the Dawes Act on Feb. 8, 1887. According to the records of the 73rd Congress, allotments of various acreages were made, and citizenship was to be conferred upon allottees and upon any other Indians who had abandoned their tribes and adopted "the habits of civilized life."

The commission interviewed citizens of the tribes to prepare "final rolls" of citizenship. Indians received an allotment and given roll numbers.

Members of the Five Tribes opposed allotment and fought against it, led by Native patriots like Chitto Harjo, also known as Crazy Snake, of the Creek Nation and Redbird Smith, leader of the Nighthawk Keetoowahs. Both, along with some of their followers, were jailed for resisting allotment. In Emmit Starr's "History of the Cherokee Indians" said Smith was the "moving spirit" of the Nighthawk Keetoowahs. Smith's following, about 5,789 according to the roll at that time, fought allotment.

In 1908, the Nighthawk Keetoowah Council held an election, and Smith's position of chairman was officially changed to that of chief. That change inspired Smith's message of belief in his people and the direction and designed purpose for their future.

Since the purpose of the Dawes Commission was first heard on the moccasin telegraph in 1893, Smith had fought against it. And as his resistance diminished, he delivered a speech that remains the foundation of the now and future Cherokee Nation. He also demonstrated one of the characteristics of all great leaders - the ability to take responsibility for his actions.

He said: "After my selection as a Chief, I awakened to the grave and great responsibilities of a leader of men. I looked about and saw that I had led my people down a long and steep mountain side, now it was my duty to turn and led them back upward and save them. The unfortunate thing in the mistakes and errors of leaders or of governments is the penalty the innocent and loyal followers have to pay... I have always believed that the Great Creator had a great design for my people, the Cherokees. I have been taught that from my childhood up and now in my mature manhood I recognize it as a great truth. Our forces have been dissipated by the external forces, perhaps it has been just a training, but we must now get together and render our contribution to mankind."

Allotment became reality. In a few decades, the land holdings would be reduced by 80 percent, but inspired by the words of Smith, the designed purpose of the Cherokee was to adapt, yet maintain cultural identity as an anchor against assimilation. A century later, the tribe, culture and language is alive and well, as a result of the Smith's vision and the original enrollees.

Visit the Cherokee Phoenix And Indian Advocate online, Celebrating 173 years of Native American Journalism,
to read more news and to learn how to subscribe.
Phone: 918-456-0671 (Ext.2269) ~ FAX: 918-458-6136
Cherokee Phoenix Email: phoenix@cherokee.org