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Cherokee Says Churchill NOT a member of Tribe
Tribe snubs prof
Cherokee band says Churchill's claim of membership a fraud
By Charlie Brennan, Rocky Mountain News
May 18, 2005
Ward Churchill's claim of membership in the United Keetoowah Band of Cherokee Indians is fraudulent, according to a scathing statement released by the tribal office.
The statement, issued May 9 in the name of the tribal leader, Chief George Wickliffe, and posted on its Web site Tuesday, does not mince words:
"The United Keetoowah Band would like to make it clear that Mr. Churchill IS NOT a member of the Keetoowah Band and was only given an honorary 'associate membership' in the early 1990s because he could not prove any Cherokee ancestry."
The tribe said that all of Churchill's "past, present and future claims or assertions of Keetoowah 'enrollment,' written or spoken, including but not limited to; biographies, curriculum vitae, lectures, applications for employment, or any other reference not listed herein, are deemed fraudulent by the United Keetoowah Band."
Churchill could not be reached Tuesday, and his attorney, David Lane, did not respond to calls for comment.
News of the tribe's firm disavowal of Churchill, an ethnic studies professor at the University of Colorado, comes on the heels of Lane's assertion that Churchill included "conclusive proof" of his American Indian status - including his tribal membership card and a videotape of his induction ceremony - in his 50-page response to a CU investigation.
The university is examining whether Churchill misrepresented himself as an American Indian in order to gain employment-related benefits or to add credibility or gain public acceptance for his scholarship. It is also looking into charges of plagiarism, fabrication or misuse of others' work.
Churchill has variously described himself as 1/16 or 3/16 Cherokee but has pinned his American Indian identity most firmly on the associate membership granted to him in 1994 by the United Keetoowah Band, based in Tahlequah, Okla.
Since controversy erupted around Churchill early this year over his essay likening some World Trade Center victims to Nazi bureaucrat Adolf Eichmann, Keetoowah officials have said repeatedly that Churchill's associate membership was similar to "honorary" memberships granted to President Clinton and others.
Churchill has dismissed such comparisons, saying that the tribe investigated his genealogy and found him to be 3/16 Cherokee.
However, the tribe's new statement contradicts Churchill's claim.
"Mr. Churchill was never able to prove his eligibility in accordance with our membership laws," the statement said.
The chief said his tribe had decided to honor Churchill with the associate membership because Church-ill had promised to write the tribe's history and had pledged "to help and honor the UKB."
"To date Mr. Churchill has done nothing in regards to his promise and pledge."
Marilyn Craig, director of public relations for the United Keetoowah Band, said the statement stemmed from an interview Wickliffe recently gave to a newspaper in eastern Oklahoma.
Because of a question on the tribe's perception of Churchill, and because the tribe has received numerous inquiries about Churchill's status, Craig said Wickliffe asked a tribal attorney to prepare the statement based on his answer to that paper.
"People were contacting our Web site to try to find out what our stance on Churchill was," said Craig. "We've had about 250 hits in the last 24 hours."
The tribe's statement points out that it stopped granting associate memberships shortly after Church-ill received one, pursuant to its Amendment 94-UKB-12A, dated July 9, 1994.
"Any record of past affiliations with the UKB are non-existent, and Churchill does not appear anywhere on our membership rolls," the statement said.
The first line on Churchill's current resume, following his name, personal contact information and date of birth, reads: "Tribal enrollment: United Keetoowah Band Cherokee (Roll No. R7627)."
The tribe said it takes issue with Churchill's political message.
"His remarks in no way reflect the true compassion for the victims of the World Trade Center and their families that is felt by the United Keetoowah Band of Cherokee Indians."
Cherokee band says Churchill's claim of membership a fraud
By Charlie Brennan, Rocky Mountain News
May 18, 2005
Ward Churchill's claim of membership in the United Keetoowah Band of Cherokee Indians is fraudulent, according to a scathing statement released by the tribal office.
The statement, issued May 9 in the name of the tribal leader, Chief George Wickliffe, and posted on its Web site Tuesday, does not mince words:
"The United Keetoowah Band would like to make it clear that Mr. Churchill IS NOT a member of the Keetoowah Band and was only given an honorary 'associate membership' in the early 1990s because he could not prove any Cherokee ancestry."
The tribe said that all of Churchill's "past, present and future claims or assertions of Keetoowah 'enrollment,' written or spoken, including but not limited to; biographies, curriculum vitae, lectures, applications for employment, or any other reference not listed herein, are deemed fraudulent by the United Keetoowah Band."
Churchill could not be reached Tuesday, and his attorney, David Lane, did not respond to calls for comment.
News of the tribe's firm disavowal of Churchill, an ethnic studies professor at the University of Colorado, comes on the heels of Lane's assertion that Churchill included "conclusive proof" of his American Indian status - including his tribal membership card and a videotape of his induction ceremony - in his 50-page response to a CU investigation.
The university is examining whether Churchill misrepresented himself as an American Indian in order to gain employment-related benefits or to add credibility or gain public acceptance for his scholarship. It is also looking into charges of plagiarism, fabrication or misuse of others' work.
Churchill has variously described himself as 1/16 or 3/16 Cherokee but has pinned his American Indian identity most firmly on the associate membership granted to him in 1994 by the United Keetoowah Band, based in Tahlequah, Okla.
Since controversy erupted around Churchill early this year over his essay likening some World Trade Center victims to Nazi bureaucrat Adolf Eichmann, Keetoowah officials have said repeatedly that Churchill's associate membership was similar to "honorary" memberships granted to President Clinton and others.
Churchill has dismissed such comparisons, saying that the tribe investigated his genealogy and found him to be 3/16 Cherokee.
However, the tribe's new statement contradicts Churchill's claim.
"Mr. Churchill was never able to prove his eligibility in accordance with our membership laws," the statement said.
The chief said his tribe had decided to honor Churchill with the associate membership because Church-ill had promised to write the tribe's history and had pledged "to help and honor the UKB."
"To date Mr. Churchill has done nothing in regards to his promise and pledge."
Marilyn Craig, director of public relations for the United Keetoowah Band, said the statement stemmed from an interview Wickliffe recently gave to a newspaper in eastern Oklahoma.
Because of a question on the tribe's perception of Churchill, and because the tribe has received numerous inquiries about Churchill's status, Craig said Wickliffe asked a tribal attorney to prepare the statement based on his answer to that paper.
"People were contacting our Web site to try to find out what our stance on Churchill was," said Craig. "We've had about 250 hits in the last 24 hours."
The tribe's statement points out that it stopped granting associate memberships shortly after Church-ill received one, pursuant to its Amendment 94-UKB-12A, dated July 9, 1994.
"Any record of past affiliations with the UKB are non-existent, and Churchill does not appear anywhere on our membership rolls," the statement said.
The first line on Churchill's current resume, following his name, personal contact information and date of birth, reads: "Tribal enrollment: United Keetoowah Band Cherokee (Roll No. R7627)."
The tribe said it takes issue with Churchill's political message.
"His remarks in no way reflect the true compassion for the victims of the World Trade Center and their families that is felt by the United Keetoowah Band of Cherokee Indians."
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