Descendent of Cherokee Slaves' Freedmen President Marilyn Vann to Speak at Humboldt State

If you are in Northern California TUESDAY OCTOBER 9th  5:30-7 p.m.

The Native Pathways Speakers presents Ms. Marilyn Vann, who will speak on the Cherokee Freedmen.

Marilyn is President of the Descendants of Freedmen of the Five Civilized Tribes Association, a non-profit that educates the public on the history, culture, and political rights of the African Indian peoples of the 5 nations (formerly known as the Five civilized Tribes) whose ancestors were enrolled as “freedmen” tribal members by the US government Dawes Commission approximately 100 years ago. She is also President of the African Indians Foundation, a 501c3 Corporation. She is lead plaintiff in a Federal lawsuit against the US government department of interior, Vann et Al Versus Norton, which deals with the enforcement of the 1866 treaty rights of the Cherokee Indian Freedmen Peoples in accordance with the Cherokee Nation constitution.

Marilyn has written articles pertaining to the Indian freedmen issue which have been published in the Native American Times, the Muskogee Daily Phoenix newspaper and the Oklahoma Eagle newspaper. Marilyn has also been featured in the Los Angeles Times and Wired Magazine, the Daily Oklahoman newspaper, the New York Times, and www.indianz.com. She has also participated on various panels sponsored or co-sponsored by different universities and non profit or civic organizations pertaining to Native American issues, including two on Cherokee freedmen issues which were sponsored by Congresspersons Diane Watson and John Conyers at the Congressional Black Caucus Foundation Conference in September 2007 and September 2008.

The Native Pathways Speaker Series is a student run initiative sponsored by Many Tribal Nations, the Department of Native American Studies, the Office of Diversity and Inclusion and the Associated Students.