Descendants of Freedmen Legal Fund
Donation protected
Join the fight against 21st century racism ! Black Cherokee Nation tribal members (and or their descendants) suffer racial discrimination in the 21st century due to discriminatory tribal laws/policies (affecting tribal voting rights and office holding) and by Federal government employees of agencies in charge of programs such as health services for members of Federal recognized Indian tribes.
The black Cherokees have tribal rights due to the 1866 agreement between the US government and the Cherokee nation. The black Cherokees (aka Cherokee freedmen) are litigants in Federal court in Washington DC (Cherokee Nation V Nash et al and Vann et al V Jewell) to force the US Department of Interior to enforce the black Cherokee freedmens 1866 treaty rights to voting, office holding, and federal/tribal programs available to all other members of the tribe.
The funds raised by your donation to African Indians Foundation, a non-profit 501c3 whose mission includes Civil rights litigation to end discrimination will be used to pay legal fees and expenses to continue with the legal case. Since 2003, more than $300,000 in legal time have been expended by our lead attorneys, the Velie Law Firm of Norman Oklahoma ( www.velielaw.com ) who need to be paid monthly to keep their doors open even though the litigants await a judges decision on the merits. http://www.indianz.com/News/2016/08/31/oklahoma-tribes-still-struggling-with-fr.asp
Funds must be raised for the Velie law firms past time and expenses as well as any ongoing legal time and expenses involving ending discrimination outside a court setting. A relatively small amount of their legal fees incurred have been paid to them.
More than 30,000 cherokee freedmen will be helped by being able to retain/obtain enforcment of their rights to services (including education, housing and medical) as well as their political rights due to continuation and hopefully ultimate success of this case. Unfortunately, freedom and justice are not free.
This request is being made by Marilyn Vann, President of African Indians Foundation and Descendants of Freedmen Association.
The black Cherokees have tribal rights due to the 1866 agreement between the US government and the Cherokee nation. The black Cherokees (aka Cherokee freedmen) are litigants in Federal court in Washington DC (Cherokee Nation V Nash et al and Vann et al V Jewell) to force the US Department of Interior to enforce the black Cherokee freedmens 1866 treaty rights to voting, office holding, and federal/tribal programs available to all other members of the tribe.
The funds raised by your donation to African Indians Foundation, a non-profit 501c3 whose mission includes Civil rights litigation to end discrimination will be used to pay legal fees and expenses to continue with the legal case. Since 2003, more than $300,000 in legal time have been expended by our lead attorneys, the Velie Law Firm of Norman Oklahoma ( www.velielaw.com ) who need to be paid monthly to keep their doors open even though the litigants await a judges decision on the merits. http://www.indianz.com/News/2016/08/31/oklahoma-tribes-still-struggling-with-fr.asp
Funds must be raised for the Velie law firms past time and expenses as well as any ongoing legal time and expenses involving ending discrimination outside a court setting. A relatively small amount of their legal fees incurred have been paid to them.
More than 30,000 cherokee freedmen will be helped by being able to retain/obtain enforcment of their rights to services (including education, housing and medical) as well as their political rights due to continuation and hopefully ultimate success of this case. Unfortunately, freedom and justice are not free.
This request is being made by Marilyn Vann, President of African Indians Foundation and Descendants of Freedmen Association.
Organizer
Marilyn Vann
Organizer
Oklahoma City, OK
