Press Release: Descendants of Freedmen Association Hosting Seventh Treaty Celebration Conference

DESCENDANTS OF FREEDMEN ASSOCIATION AND AFRICAN INDIANS
FOUNDATION COHOST 7TH TREATY CELEBRATION CONFERENCE SATURDAY
NOVEMBER 9, 2013 IN OKLAHOMA CITY, OKLAHOMA

The Descendants of Freedmen of the Five Civilized Tribes Association and the African
Indians of the 5 Civilized Tribes Foundation will cohost the Seventh Treaty Celebration
conference on Saturday November 9, 2013 in Oklahoma City, Oklahoma.
The Conference will be held at the Langston Oklahoma City Campus, 4205 North Lincoln,
Oklahoma City Oklahoma. Onsite registration will begin at 9:30 am with the
program beginning at 10 am.

The descendants of freedmen of the 5 tribes are descendants of blacks who were enslaved
by Indians of the 5 Tribes (Cherokee, Creek, Seminole, Choctaw, and Chickasaw)
or were free mixed African Indians who were legally living within the tribal areas
prior to the Civil War. The freedmen and their descendants received tribal citizenship
rights through treaties signed by tribal leaders and the US government in
1866. The descendants of tribal freedmen now face discrimination in registering as
tribal citizens, accessing benefits such as housing and education available to members
of federally recognized Indian tribes, and also battle disenrollment movements led by
some tribal leaders.

Presenters will include Attorney John Velie, Attorney and author Hannibal Johnson,
former Seminole Nation Council representatives Sylvia Davis-Price and Dora Thomas,
Anthropology Student Mrs. Jessica Walker-Blanchard, and former Bacone College
Professor Mr. Cedric Sunray. Workshops will be conducted by Mrs. Jessica
Blanchard (anthropology), Mrs. Marilyn Vann (genealogy), and State Senator Constance
Johnson (political process/political activism). The political process/political
activism workshop by Senator Johnson, beginning at 3 pm will be free and open to
persons not registered for the conference. (Doors will open to the public beginning at
2:50 pm for the free workshop).

To obtain information on obtaining conference tickets or how to become a vendor,
please contact Mrs. Fannie Bates or Mrs. Marilyn Vann at the numbers and emails
listed above or Mrs Vera Jones: 405-305-2308. To learn more about the freedmen and
their struggle for Civil Rights,  please visit the website: www.freedmen.org or
www.freedmen5tribes.com