Black Indians United
Black Indians United Legal Defense and Education Fund
5 Tribes Embassy
1866 Treaties-Ethnic (Black) Indians and Freedmen
BIU Articles & Commentary
Discussions of Current Events and News Stories 2019-2020
(For The Children)
***Under Construction**
Tangible (Assets) Restitution and Reparations
A Look At Mary Frances Berry's U.S. Commission on Human Rights
That Sought (And Gained) Increased U.S. Spending On
Native Americans in her 2003 Report: Quiet Crisis
Plus: Original Value of Eloise Cobell's Claim (2009) (re: Cobell v Salazar)
Powernomics: 2006-2019 through 2020
Original Value of Freedmen Claims and Today's Collective Value
(Aboriginal, Indigenous, Black Indians, Freedmen, Foundational Black Americans, American Descendants of Slaves, Afro-Descendants, and African Americans)
tied to the North American Mainland by Heritage
Leading to: Value of Global Reparations: Africa and The Diaspora
("Extended Kingdoms of Africa")
Treaties and Provisions of Separation
Other Groups Living Separately In North America
(Jews, Mormons, Mennonites, Amish, Gullah-Geechee, Nation of Islam, Hebrew Israelites, Moors
Autonomous Groups and Communities in North America
China Town, Japanese, South East Asians, Marshallese, Barrios,
Autonomy v Domestic Dependent Nations
Modern Politicians seem to draw a blank when asked about their Black Agenda, and become mute or even start babbling incoherently when asked about their ideas on how to improve the rapidly deteriorating condition of Black America (which has traditionally served as the bedrock (or base) of the Democratic Party for more than 50 years), whether we want to acknowledge it or not.
Black America keeps telling tone deaf Politicians (who used to support us) that our people have a dire need for Tangibles which translates into assets belonging to us specifically that stands in the gap to sustain our growth and development when nothing else does, which Politicians are treating as some kind of publicity stunt. Their dismissal of vital and necessary requirement is a highly offensive insult and a deadly position to take insofar as protection of our progeny is considered. This. Tangibles, Restitution and Reparations for Black America is an issue of the primary importance, which must be dealt with urgently.
Now, for an idea of the type of Tangibles we need, it may be necessary for you to get a copy of Mary Frances Berry’s 2003 U.S. Commission on Civil Rights Report: Quiet Crisis. Its a scathing report on U.S. under-spending in Indian Country and what was need to correct all the issue addressed by the Commission. While I have my own critic about failure to report on Black Indians concurrently, I am a realist who understands that the same report can be used to repair Black Indians, Freedmen, Foundational Black Americans, American Descendants of Slaves, Afro-Descendants and African Americans (a collective and monolithic group) tied to the North American Mainland by Lineal Descent, Heritage and Blood.
Our people need to understand that all of the programs provided to benefit Native Americans are the same programs that should have been available (in equity and fairness) to Black Indians, Freedmen who have been viewed as African Americans (Descendants of Slaves, Negro, Black, Colored, Mulatto, Afro American and African Americans), since 1865-1866.
We will discuss here how Mary Frances Berry used her position as Chairman of the U.S. Commission on Civil Rights (formed in 1957), to introduce a Report in 2003, called "Quiet Crisis" to charge the United States Government with causing a Crisis in Indian Country by neglect, under-spending and insincere efforts, where forceful and purposeful efforts were needed, along with big spending to restore them to their former prominence and glory in a transformative way that was palpable and visible. Yet, this nation completely failed to similarly address the Quiet Crisis of Black Indians, Freedmen and African Americans who were also Indigenous, had Treaty Rights and inhabited Indian Country (and the former Indian Country in the Indian Territory, U.S. South, Black Belt) and other lands formerly held by Black Indigenous People before they were dispossessed. Further, their ancestors were enslaved upon those land and never compensated for monumental losses.
We need to be specific about Tangibles, Restitution and Reparations because politicians have proven they can't thing of what will restore Black American. We will show how our claims up the ante on the original value of the claim assigned by Cobell to her claim (re: mismanaged Trust Funds and Individual Indian Money Accounts) our claims involve that and much, much more, we will point them in the direction of modern market value. The Cobell Claim was settled 10 years ago (2009) and the market landscape has increased in value. The Market Value of our Claim starts on the low end at $600 billion to roughly $600 Trillion for our Treaty-mandated Trust Funds (plus Land appropriations and programs we are provided access to).
Elouie Cobell (Blackfeet) Browning, Montana settled her Class Action Claim (in 2009) for a paltry $3.4 billion. Hower, the actual value of her claim for mismanagement of Trust Funds and Individual Indian Money Accounts, was assessed an original value of $176 billion. That was 10 years ago.
Cobell was not dealing with a Reparations claim. Nor was she concerned about Restitution (for loss of 5+ million acres ceded to Freedmen of the 5 Civilized Tribes by 1866 Treaties (21 years before the establishment of the law (Dawes Act) that would give her the right and power to file such a claim. We had rights before her in the Indian Territory. She did not suffer the loss of 7000 Freedmen Farms in Oklahoma, and loss of possession of our our Traditional lands, former settlements, Land Grants and ancient inhabitations from Florida to California and from Canada to Mexico (with out center being the Black Belt where our kin were enslaved). Nor was Ms. Cobell dealing with missing or denied access to Tangibles, including denial of access to programs put on by the United States for Indians from 1866 to the present day (2019).
Cobell did not have to concern (as we do) to missed Reservation Economy Initiative, Tax shelters and benefits to businessesdoing business with us Tax Free on Reservation Land, which also provides jobs andeducational benefits to our "minoirity" Citizens, while at the same time tax breaks for business doing that for us on our lands.
Cobell didn't have to worry about a loss of Black Indian Schools, Mission Schools or missing funds to build Black Educational Institutions with annual disbursements from Trust Funds to finance, power and operate such institutions. This was an awful disadvantage for Black Indians Freedmen and African Americans. It is extremely difficult to hear politicians assure the Media that they won't do anything specific to help Black People, because of jealous feelings that others get when anyone aids us. But, how long has it been since anyone aided us? Affirmative Action you say? Nobody ever cites Affirmation Action that Benefits Indians. They are given first preference in Federal Jobs, especially Department of the Interior Jobs, Bureau of Indian Affairs jobs and nobody ever counts how it is they can afford to attend Ivy League Institutions of Higher Learning, while it is still rare for Black People (Foundational Black Americans) to do so. Nobody needs to talk to us about Affirmative Action, Quota Systems or Set-Asides, because we did not benefit from them at the same rate as others. Nor has anyone been slowed down (or stopped completely) by legal challenges designed to let others benefit from Affirmative Action, which was intended to benefit Black People, but declared to be reverse racism.
Elouise Cobell did not have to concern herself with being denied Federal Charters of Recognition, Gaming Licenses and more. We were denied all of that simply because of our National Origin, Race, Ethnicity, Previous Condition of Servitude and Lack of Blood Quantum Designation (assigned by the U.S. Federal Government in the 20th Century), then required in order to receive assistance. Essentially nobody cared what Black People didn't have, as long as they got what they needed to survive. Essentially our survival depended upon our wits, ability and intelligence to think and function outside of every box that closed us out.
There are many more programs that I could add here (and I will when time permits). Ultimately, I will address every subject you find at the top of this page.
Again, the market value of Elouise Cobell's Claim was $176 billion, 10 years ago. I was fortunate enough to converse with her via email, arranged by a mutual friend. In her communication, she let me know that she was aware of Freedmen and told me that my ancestor's "Finley" surname was also on her list. She had no opposition to Freedmen and wished us luck.
Dr. Claud Anderson, Attorney Percy Squire, LLC, Pastor Earl Trent, my husband Al (Running Bear) Molette and I (as Representatives of Black Indians United Legal Defense and Education Fund, Inc. traveled to Washington, D.C. we met there with Maxine Waters and a bunch of other folks discussing our Class Action Claim and the needs of Black Indians. The Attorneys spoke about enjoining our Claim (through Legislation) with Cobell, because it hadn't been settled yet. They were definitely going to add Black Farmers by Legislation to Cobell, because (as they said) Obama wanted that. While there we also went to the office of Rollie Wilson, Special Counsel for The Majority, he worked in the 838 Hart Senate Office Building in Washington, D.C., and was tethered to Senator Byron Dorgan, Chairman, Committee on Indian Affairs, and we talked (in Washington, D.C.) to Clay Lightfoot, Legislative Aide (and gatekeeper) for Oklahoma Senator Tom Coburn,
We needed them to add Black Indian (Freedmen) to Cobell, along with Black Farmers. Well, after all that meeting, discussing, deciding and then indicating that it wasn't a problem, we got word back that Obama did not support Black Indians, but wanted (instead) to have his Legacy set on Black Farmers (even though Black Indians were the FIRST BLACK FARMERS on the continent. The Black President of every other American could not fathom doing anything for Black Indigenous People in North America.--And He Didn't.
And so, here we are still advocating 10 years later, in the fullness of time and the Trump Years, We shell be the last to become first, the Phoenix rising out of ashes.
We can climb out of the ashes holding onto the Bible and Mary Frances Berry's 2003 U.S. Civil Rights Commission Report: Quiet Crisis, because she toured Indian Country and didn't manage to document, make notations upon or mention (not one Black Indian) even though we were all over this nation (i.e., Descendant of Black Aboriginal, Indigenous, Black Indians, Former Slaves, Freedmen of the 5 Civilized Tribes (Cherokee, Chickasaw, Choctaw, Creek, Seminole), Seminole Negro Scouts, Black Mississippi Choctaw, Lusa, Olmec, Inca, Sewee, Ohlone, Klamath, Modoc, First San Diegan (Pericu), Black Hopi at Mishongnovi or Oraibi, Jemez, Folsom, Adena, Hopewell, Washitaw, Biloxi, Natchez, Alachua, Black Su, Yamasee, Foundational Black Americans, American Descendants of Slaves. Its a travesty that the U.S. Civil Rights Commission made a Report that managed to leave out Black Indigenous Descendants of Slave from the Trans-Atlantic Slavery Era who were not Caucasian Europeans or White Males. We were considered African or Native American. Instead, our ancestors were documented as 3/5th human and therefore, completely invisible, like the Holy Ghost.
Dr. Claud Anderson’s Harvest Institute Freedmen Federation of Washington D.C. has entered the 13th year this year (2019) battling in Class Action. It is not justice with all deliberate speed and the claim needs more support from our people. This country has had many chances to resolve our claim, long ago. Our people of little faith are easily distracted and skeptical because they are afraid to support anything poised to help them. And they get angry when others have their claims addressed, but have no idea that those people banded together hanging on in unity, without back-biting, takedowns based on innuendo, rumors and wild assertions. You've been told to Just Stand, after you've done all you can. We have got to earn this by getting on code and staying there.
Stand Up Back Warriors!
More to come.
Angela Molette (Tuscaloosa Ohoyo) Black Warrior Woman
Black Indians United Legal Defense and Education Fund, Inc.
Enid, Oklahoma 73701
(580) 540-4009
contributed by Angela Finley Molette (Tuscaloosa Ohoyo) Black Warrior Woman
Representative/Spokesperson-Black Indians United Legal Defense and Education Fund Inc.