The Cherokee Nation is a sovereign tribal government. Upon settling in Indian Territory (present-day Oklahoma) after the Indian Removal Act, the Cherokee people established a new government in what is now the city of Tahlequah, Oklahoma. A constitution was adopted on September 6, 1839, 68 years prior to Oklahoma’s statehood.
Today, the Cherokee Nation is the largest tribe in the United States with more than 450,000 tribal citizens worldwide. More than 141,000 Cherokee Nation citizens reside within the tribe’s reservation boundaries in northeastern Oklahoma. Services provided include health and human services, education, employment, housing, economic and infrastructure development, environmental protection and more. With approximately 11,000 employees, Cherokee Nation and its subsidiaries are one of the largest employers in northeastern Oklahoma. The tribe had a more than $2.16 billion economic impact on the Oklahoma economy in fiscal year 2018.
MISSION:
The Cherokee Nation is committed to protecting our inherent sovereignty, preserving and promoting Cherokee culture, language and values, and improving the quality of life for the next seven generations of Cherokee Nation citizens.
The Cherokee Nation’s 10th Cherokee Warrior Flight recently took off for Washington, D.C., with eight veterans who served during the Vietnam War. The Cherokee Nation funds the flight for Cherokee veterans to see the national war memorials erected in their honor at the nation’s capital.
Cherokee Nation will celebrate its 72nd annual Cherokee National Holiday over Labor Day weekend, including an inter-tribal powwow, parade, and other longtime cultural favorites. The theme, “Weaving Our Future," and art are meant to illustrate the traditional story of the water spider, one of the smallest creatures that, according to Cherokees, demonstrated no matter how small, every one of the tribe’s more than 460,000 citizens can make great and significant contributions to the fabric of Cherokee culture.
Cherokee Nation recently distributed a record $7.9 million to 107 school districts as part of the tribe’s annual Public School Appreciation Day initiative. This year’s disbursement brings the total funds awarded to school districts to $92 million since the tribe began funneling the car tag revenue to schools through its motor vehicle compact with the state.
Leaders of the Cherokee Nation gathered recently to celebrate the signing the Gadugi Corps Volunteer and National Service Act of 2023, which authorizes a new volunteer and national service program empowering citizens to improve their communities. The legislation will authorize up to $3 million annually over four years for the program.
The Cherokee Nation and family and friends of the late Wilma Mankiller gathered to celebrate the Wilma Mankiller Barbie, part of Barbie’s “Inspiring Women” series, in the capital of the Cherokee Nation. The celebration was a tribute to the legacy of Wilma Mankiller and her impact on the tribe and Indian Country, both as a humanitarian and an advocate for women’s rights. Mankiller served as the first female Principal Chief of the Cherokee Nation from 1985 to 1995.
