Sign our petition urging the Muscogee Creek Nation to honor its legal and moral obligations by fully recognizing and restoring the rights of Black Creeks as enshrined in the Creek Treaty of 1866. This action is not only a legal imperative but also a step towards healing and unity within our community.

Article II of the Creek Treaty of 1866 holds a significant place as it categorically states that Black Creeks "shall have and enjoy all the rights and privileges of native citizens" within the Muscogee Creek Nation, designating it as the "supreme law of the land.

Despite this clear directive, since 1979, the MCN has engaged in practices that have denied these individuals, exemplified by cases like that of Attorney Damario Solomon-Simmons and other Creek Descendants of African ancestry, their rightful benefits and status as MCN citizens.

This situation is particularly disconcerting given the MCN's reliance on the 1866 Treaty in the landmark McGirt ruling, yet their simultaneous neglect of Article II of the same treaty, which guarantees full citizenship rights to Black Creeks and their descendants.

The current policy of determining membership based on blood quantum is problematic and contrary to the spirit of a political entity like the Muscogee Creek Nation, whose identity should be defined by membership and shared heritage, not solely by lineage.

Our objective is clear: to put an end to these anti-Black discriminatory practices within the MCN. Positive strides have been made in this direction, as evidenced on September 27th, 2023, when the highly respected Muscogee (Creek) Nation District Court Judge Denise Mouser reaffirmed that Article II of the Creek Treaty of 1866 stands as the “supreme law of the land.”

This ruling underscored that Creek Freedmen and their Descendants are entitled to "all the rights and privileges of native citizens" of the MCN, irrespective of their “blood” status.

The Justice for Greenwood Foundation is committed to restoring the disrupted Black economic, social, and cultural power within the MCN, which has been hampered by the exclusion of Black Creeks and their Descendants from their full citizenship rights. These rights, as guaranteed by the Treaty of 1866, encompass the right to vote, to hold office, and to be acknowledged as Muscogee Creek Nation citizens by birthright, heritage, history, and culture.

In March 2020, Attorney Damario Solomon-Simmons took a significant step by filing a petition in the Muscogee (Creek) Nation District Court on behalf of his Creek Freedmen clients, Rhonda Grayson and Jeff Kennedy. This case challenges the MCN Citizenship Board for violating several critical mandates, including Article II of the Creek Treaty of 1866, the U.S. Constitution, the Principal Chiefs Act of 1970, and the Indian Civil Rights Act. These violations stem from the board's denial of citizenship rights to these individuals based on their African heritage.

We seek your support in protecting these fundamental rights of Black Creeks as Muscogee Creek Native citizens, as upheld by Article II of the 1866 treaty. This commitment was also echoed by the Department of Interior Secretary Deb Haaland on May 12, 2021, acknowledging the legal obligations of the “Five Tribes” of Oklahoma, including the MCN, to recognize Freedmen as citizens.

Sign our petition to stand with the Justice for Greenwood Foundation in our call for justice, equality, and the rightful acknowledgment of the Black Creeks as an integral part of the Muscogee Creek Nation.