U.S. Library of Congress

U.S. President Calvin Coolidge, left center, stands with Act sponsor U.S. Representative Homer P. Snyder (R-NY),center right, and members of a delegation of Osage Indians, outside the White House, following the signing of the Indian Citizenship Act of 1924 was filed with the U.S. Library of Congress.

100 years of Indian Citizenship Act of 1924

Hattak Vpi Homma Ibafoka Akaniohmi

Published June 10, 2024

Audio in Choctaw Language

On June 2, 1924, U.S. President Calvin Coolidge signed into law the “Indian Citizenship Act of 1924,” which gave full birthright citizenship for Native Americans.

This new law, gave Native Americans certain rights and privileges as U.S. Citizens, but it would take many years until all rights, such as the right to vote in 1965, were bestowed upon the tribes. This Act was a steppingstone to the many rights our Choctaw ancestors fought for. Over the last 100 years, U.S. tribes have fought the good fight to achieve all the sovereignty rights that we enjoy today as Native Americans. We owe a great deal to our ancestors that went before us, stood before the U.S. Congress, and demanded every right we enjoy today.

Imagine this, without these rights tribes would not be allowed to govern their own sovereign nation and tribal members would not be allowed to vote in the upcoming November elections. Before the Civil War, citizenship was often limited to Native Americans of one-half or less Indian blood.

According to the U.S. Library of Congress, in the Reconstruction period, progressive Republicans in Congress sought to accelerate the granting of citizenship to friendly tribes, though state support for these measures was often limited. In 1888, most Native American women married to U.S. citizens were conferred with citizenship, and in 1919, Native American veterans of World War I were offered citizenship. In 1924, the Indian Citizenship Act, an all-inclusive act, was passed by Congress. The privileges of citizenship, however, were largely governed by state law, and the right to vote was often denied to Native Americans in the early 20th century.

The 1924 act read that “all noncitizen Indians born within the territorial limits of the United States be, and they are hereby, declared to be citizens of the United States: Provided that the granting of such citizenship shall not in any manner impair or otherwise affect the right of any Indian to tribal or other property.”

It is difficult to imagine today the hardships our Choctaw ancestors had to endure by not being counted as U.S. citizens. Our ancestors were not given equal footing in legislative matters that governed their well-being and rights as U.S. Citizens. Our ancestors paved the way for the Choctaw Nation to achieve a self-empowered, sovereign state that enjoys the rights and freedoms as U.S. citizens and sovereign tribal members.

All Native Americans in the U.S. stand on the shoulders of our ancestors who paved the way for our future. There would be no Choctaw Nation without the battles of our ancestors who were unflinching under the tremendous, and often unfair tactics. We are here today because of the bravery, strength, and steadfastness of those that came before us. That is why the battles we fight today to maintain our strength and sovereignty are so important.

Yakoke and God Bless!

Bissa Hvshi nittak tuklo, tahlepa sipokni achvffa, tahlepa chakkali, pokoli tuklo akucha ushta ash United States President Calvin Coolidge vt “Indian Citizenship Act of 1924” a hohchifo takalechi na anumpa vlhpisa toba tok. Yvmmvt Hattak Vpi Homma ya vttahpi vlhpesa ibafoka mominchit imissa tok.

Anumpa vlhpisa himona ilvppvt, Hattak Vpi Homma yvt United States im okla atuk o vlhpesa kanimi imissa tok, kia vlhpesa moma ik imisso na afvmmi lawa tok. Tahlepa sipokni achvffa, tahlepa chakkali, pokoli hannali akucha tahlapi ako okla vhleha yvt atokoli vlhpesa ishi tok. Akaniohmi ilvppvt vlhpesa lawa im atuya chohmi atuk o pi Chahta hattak tikba yvt im ittibi tok. Afvmmi tahlepa sipokni achvffa kash takla, United States okla vhleha yvt ittibi achukma ittibi na himak nittak a vlhpesa i shahli moma ka Hattak Vpi Homma hvpia kvt e pisa. United States Congress tikba hiohlit pim vlhpesa putta asilhha tok a pi hattak tikba il im ahika.

Ilvppa anukfilli; vlhpesa ilvppvt ikshok ma okla vhleha yvt im okla i shahli ya apehlichi apesa he tuk kiyo. Okla ibafoka vhleha yvt Hochvffo Chito Hvshi atokoli minti ya atokoli apesa he tuk kiyo. Civil War itikba, Hattak Vpi Homma yvt aivtta issish kashkoa iklvnna kia ik alauo aivhli akosh ibafoka atok.

United States Library of Congress vnnoa ya, Anonti Ikbi Nittak Vlhpisa ash, Republican vhleha maya yvt okla itti kana ya ibafoka ima ya tushpalechi hoyo tok. Akaniohmi ilvppa aiulhti apela yvt aivhli fehna tok. Tahlepa sipokni achvffa, tahlepa untuchina, pokoli untuchina akucha untuchina ash, Hattak Vpi Homma ohoyo vhleha fehna United States im okla auaya ako ibafoka ima tok. Tahlepa sipokni achvffa, tahlepa chakkali akucha vbih chakkali ash Hattak Vpi Homma tvshka sipokni vhleha Tvnvp Chito Achvffa imma ako ibafoka imissa tok. Tahlepa sipokni achvffa, tahlepa chakkali, pokoli tuklo akucha ushta ash Indian Citizenship Act, akaniohmi moma aieninchi ya, Congress vt ahnichi tok. Ibafoka isht ilaiyukpa ya aiulhti akosh pehlichi na 20^th century tikbali ash Hattak Vpi Homma vhleha yvt atokoli vlhpesa ya ahah achi fehna tok.

Tahlepa sipokni achvffa, tahlepa chakkali, pokoli tuklo akucha ushta akaniohmi yvt anumpuli: “Hattak Vpi Homma okla kiyo moma kvt United States i yakni anukaka aivtta ya holisso ilvppa aiittintakla yosh United States im okla vnnoa: ibafoka chomi ima ittintakla yvt okla kia imilayak inla ya Hattak Vpi Homma kaniohmi im aivlhpesa aiyabechi kia kanihmicha he kiyo kashke.”

Himak nittak a, pi Chahta hattak tikba yvt United States im okla ik iba holhtino cha na palvmmi achunanchi tok a anukfilli ka ahchiba. United States okla ibatakla kvt pi hattak tikba yvt kaniohmi anumpa vlhpisa im achukmvt asha anonti im vlhpesa pehlichi ya aiittilaui ishi tok kiyo. Pi hattak tikba yvt atia pim atahli na Chahta Okla yvt aiulhti i shahli ila tohnuchi ya loshummi tok. Yohmi tok a, okla i shahli ibafoka vhleha yvt, United States im okla yosh, vlhpisa anonti yuka kiyo pisa.

Pi hattak tikba yvt pi himmak im atia atahli tok o Hattak Vpi Homma, United States anukaka asha moyuma kvt i tahchi o hiohli. Pi hattak tikba yvt isht vlhpisa ahli kiyo chinto ka ik isso hosh ik ittibo tok hokma Chahta Okla yvt iksho ahinla tuk. Pi tikba minti tok im aiyimita, im isht hlampko, anonti i kamvssa pulla kako himak nittak a il aiyasha. Yohmi hoka, himak nittak a, pim isht hlampko anonti pi kucha pehlichi iksho il iesha chi ka pim ittibi yvt fiena hoke!

Yakoke anonti Chihowa hvt hvchi holitoblashke!