"the People's Paths!" Cherokee News Path - Tribal Registration Assistance Offered

TAHLEQUAH, OK - The Cherokee Nation will offer assistance this spring with applications for Certificate Degree of Indian Blood (CDIB) cards and citizenship in the Cherokee Nation at several field sites throughout the tribe’s 14-county area. The sites and schedule follow.

In Delaware County, registration assistance will be available on Monday, April 7, Monday, May 5 and Monday, June 2, from 10 a.m. to 3 p.m., at the Sam Hider Community Clinic, located at 1015 Washbourne Street in Jay.

In Tulsa County, area residents can register on Wednesday, June 11, from 9 a.m. to 3 p.m., at the Cherokee Nation Tag Office, located at 105 East Main in Collinsville.

In Sequoyah County, registration assistance will be available on Friday, April 11, Friday, May 9 and Friday, June 13, from 9:30 a.m. to 3:30 p.m., at the Sallisaw Sub-Office, located at 110 North Elm in Sallisaw.

Registration assistance in Craig County will be available on Wednesday, June 18, from 10 a.m. to 3 p.m., at Tom Buffington Heights, located at 900 West McNelis #31-B in Vinita.

In Rogers County, registration help will be available on Wednesday, April 23, Wednesday, May 28 and Wednesday, June 25, from 10 a.m. to 3 p.m., at the Claremore IHS Hospital, located on Will Rogers Boulevard.

In addition, the registration department makes monthly trips to the Oklahoma City area.

The main Cherokee Nation registration department is located in the W.W. Keeler Complex in Tahlequah, and is open from 8 a.m. to 5 p.m., Monday through Friday. There is no charge to apply for tribal citizenship.

In order to obtain a CDIB, applicants must formally apply and provide acceptable legal documents which 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 (1) applying between 1899-1906, (2) appearing on previous tribal rolls of 1880 or 1896 and (3) having a permanent residence within the Cherokee Nation (now the 14 northeastern counties of Oklahoma). 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.

Registration sites are visited every three months. The schedule is subject to change due to weather, holidays or emergency situations. For more information about Cherokee Nation registration services contact: 918-453-5575.