Photos: YouTube Screenshots\Wikimedia Commons
(TULSA, OK) — Today, the Muscogee (Creek) Nation Supreme Court issued a landmark ruling affirming that the Citizenship Board acted “contrary to law” when it refused to apply Article II of the 1866 Treaty and denied Creek Freedmen citizenship.
The Court declared any “by blood” language in the 1979 MCN Constitution “UNLAWFUL and VOIDABINITIO,” and remanded the matter with a clear directive: apply the Treaty of 1866 and issue citizenship to Respondents Rhonda Grayson and Jeffrey Kennedy—and to any future applicant who proves lineal descent from either the Creek By-Blood Dawes Roll or the Creek Freedmen Dawes Roll.
“As Creek Freedmen, we’ve always carried the truth of who we are. Today, that truth was recognized. This decision affirms our place in the Nation—not as outsiders, but as citizens. We’re ready to walk forward together, guided by our elders, our communities, and our shared hope for what comes next.” — Attorney Damario Solomon-Simmons, lead counsel and descendant of Creek Freedmen.
This is a historic and unfolding development. Justice For Greenwood and our legal team will be sharing next steps, implementation details, and ways for our community and supporters to stay engaged in the days ahead.
Read the full judgement order here.
ABOUT THE TULSA RACE MASSACRE
The Tulsa Race Massacre took place in 1921 when a mob of white individuals, deputized and armed by municipal and county officials, killed, looted, and burned down the Greenwood area. The Massacre resulted in the murder of more than 300 Tulsans and the destruction of the prosperous Greenwood neighborhood, often referred to as “Black Wall Street.”
ABOUT GREENWOOD
Greenwood, most revered for “Black Wall Street” was co-founded by Black Creeks—it became one of the most prosperous, organized, and successful Black communities in United States history, and a place for Black people to escape the political, economic, and social oppression of southern lawmakers post-civil war.
ABOUT JUSTICE FOR GREENWOOD
Justice for Greenwood is a grassroots, 501(c)(3) organization with a big vision: to get Respect, Reparations, and Repair for the Greenwood community for the near century of historical omissions and continued harm caused by the 1921 Massacre, through survivor and descendant support, public education, and advocacy.
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