MuskogeePhoenix.com, Muskogee, OK

February 29, 2008

Demonstration seeks help on freedmen issue


About 15 people participated in a demonstration Friday afternoon in front of Congressman Dan Boren’s office in Muskogee.

Descendants of Freedmen Association, Freedmen Band of Cherokee Nation and representatives of Project A carried flags and signs demanding Boren’s help.

Boren, D-Okla., was not present.

Rodslen Brown of Project A began a chant: “We will fight. We will fight. We will fight for treaty rights.”

Verdie Triplett, founder of the Choctaw Chickasaw Freedmen Association, joined in the demonstration.

“I wanted to make sure this issue goes beyond the Cherokee freedmen,” he said.

The next Descendants of Freedmen Association meeting will be at 1:30 p.m. March 15 at the Faith Deliverance Christian Center, 901 S. D St. That meeting will be followed by a meeting of the Freedmen Band of Cherokee Nation. Both meetings are free and open to the public.