Red and Black Unite

With a certain amount of sadness i read that the Cherokee Nation have chosen to follow the road of the white man and exclude blacks from their society .

The Cherokee Nation of native Americans have voted to revoke tribal citizenship for descendants of black slaves the Cherokees once owned.

Supporters said only the Cherokees had the right to determine tribal members. Opponents said the amendment was racist and aimed at preventing those with African-American heritage from gaining tribal revenue and government funding. Members can obtain government benefits and tribal services including housing and medical support.

Tribal council member Taylor Keen said: "This is a sad chapter in Cherokee history... this is not my Cherokee Nation. My Cherokee Nation is one that honours all parts of her past."

It is a shame that the native americans have not recognise the symbiotic relationship that the negro slaves and the native peoples enjoyed in the 18th and 19th centuries and have chosen to follow the route of self-interest , even though in the past they have together fought for their freedom.

In 1726 the British governor of colonial New York exacted a promise from the Iroquois Indians to return all runaway slaves who had joined up with them. This same promise was extracted from the Huron Indians in 1764 and from the Delaware Indians in 1765. Despite their promises, no escaped slaves were ever returned by these tribes, who continued to provide a safe and secure home for escaped slaves.

As did the Seminole a few years ago , the Cherokee are now revoking that sanctuary .