logo
Login Subscribe
Google Play App Store
  • News
    • Obituaries
    • Lifestyle
    • Opinions
  • Sports
  • E-edition
  • Calendar
  • Archives
  • Contact
    • Contact Us
    • Advertisers
    • Form Submission
    • About Us
    • News
      • Obituaries
      • Lifestyle
      • Opinions
    • Sports
    • E-edition
    • Calendar
    • Archives
    • Contact
      • Contact Us
      • Advertisers
      • Form Submission
      • About Us
A special project for centennial of ‘Indigenous Americans’ voting rights
commentary
September 25, 2024
A special project for centennial of ‘Indigenous Americans’ voting rights
By JOE DORMAN OICA CEO

OKLAHOMA CITY – With National Voter Registration Day which occurred on September 17, which is also Constitution Day, there has been much excitement geared around ensuring people are able to cast a vote, not only in the upcoming General Election on November 5, but also for every subsequent election held.

Unfortunately, Oklahoma’s voter turnout has been dismal the past several elections, ranking anywhere from 48th to 50th among states for percentage of voters submitting a ballot.

Some might ask, “What does this have to do with child advocacy?” When advocates work through the different levels of government, the officials who have been selected by this minority of registered voters are the ones who are deciding the policies.

I have been very fortunate to work with some great elected officials, often surprising me with just how solidly they have supported youth issues. One of the parts of my job at the Oklahoma Institute for Child Advocacy (OICA) that I most enjoy is getting to work with officials to shape solutions to benefit Oklahoma’s children. Many officials have truly stepped up in times of need to provide better opportunities for youth.

Voting has not always been accessible to all Americans. White, property-owning males were the first legal voters in our newly formed nation. Then, the 15th Amendment to the U.S. Constitution passed by Congress on February 26, 1869, and ratified by the states on February 3, 1870, granted Black American men the right to vote.

It took nearly 50 years, but Congress passed on June 4, 1919, and the states ratified on August 18, 1920, the 19th Amendment, granting women the right to vote. Then, on June 2, 1924, Congress enacted the Indian Citizenship Act, granting citizenship to all Indigenous Americans born in the U.S. The right to vote, however, was governed by state law. Until 1957, some states barred Indigenous Americans from voting.

The Voting Rights Act of 1965, extended in 1970, 1975, and 1982, abolished all remaining deterrents to exercising the right to vote and authorized federal supervision of voter registration where necessary. In 2013, the U.S. Supreme Court struck down a key provision of the act involving federal oversight of voting rules in nine states with histories of discrimination.

As 2024 is the 100th anniversary of federal voting rights for Indigenous Americans, OICA is working on a voter awareness project which will impact young Oklahomans. With permission from the Ben Harjo estate, we are using his “Warriors of Fire” print as the basis for a poster for each high school in Oklahoma, including the link for registering to vote online.

Ben was a personal friend and an avid voter, so his wife Barbara loved the idea of using this to encourage people to register. Thanks to generous support from the Cherokee Nation, we have the initial funding raised for the printing. If you would like to assist with this effort, you can go to oica. org to make a donation; for each $100 donated, the donor will receive a copy of the poster.

Additionally, OICA this week will kick off our “Chalk the Vote” efforts for educators in the upcoming General Election. We have gotten off to a late start with some staff changes in our office, so I am looking forward to announcing our new team members in a column soon I also want to note that on Monday, I celebrated my eighth anniversary working for OICA, and I was honored to attend the 94th birthday celebration of Melvin Moran on Saturday. We share September 18th as a birthday, but I am a few years behind him. Happy birthday, Melvin!

Seminole survives Checotah 34-27
B:, sports
Seminole survives Checotah 34-27
By Rodney Haltom sports EDITOR 
September 10, 2025
The Seminole Chieftains were lucky to go home with a 34-27 win over the Checotah Wildcats Friday night. Checotah’s penalties that accumulated to over 100 yards. The Wildcats moved the football up and ...
Council votes to dismiss former Mayor Warren
A: Main, news
Council votes to dismiss former Mayor Warren
By JERRY FINK MANAGING EDITOR 
September 10, 2025
The Eufaula City Council removed former Mayor Todd Warren from the Council Monday night citing excessive absences. City minutes of past meetings presented to the Council showed that Warren missed the ...
Church celebrates 160th anniversary
A: Main, news
Church celebrates 160th anniversary
By JERRY FINK MANAGING EDITOR 
September 10, 2025
Decades before Oklahoma became a state in 1907; years before the first railroad track was laid in Indian Territory in 1870 and the year the Civil War ended, folks in a remote area of what is now McInt...
Mild weather, just what the festival ordered
A: Main, news
Mild weather, just what the festival ordered
By JERRY FINK MANAGING EDITOR 
September 10, 2025
Mayor James Hickman perhaps summarized best when he sent a letter of appreciation to Karen Weldin and the Vision Eufaula Board of Directors for one of the best Wine & Art Festivals held in the city. “...
9/11 – Never Forget
A: Main, news
9/11 – Never Forget
By JERRY FINK MANAGING EDITOR 
September 10, 2025
At about 7 a.m. Tuesday, Sept. 11, 2001, I strolled into the Las Vegas Sun newsroom where I worked as an entertainment reporter. The room was quiet, a palpable feeling of dread filled the air as the f...
Margaret Floyd Homecoming Parade Marshal
A: Main, news
Margaret Floyd Homecoming Parade Marshal
September 10, 2025
Margaret Marie Vickery Floyd has been named the 2025 Eufaula High School Homecoming Parade Marshall. Born in 1927 in Ramona, she is the fourth greatgranddaughter of Chief McIntosh, and the mother of f...
ePaper
google_play
app_store
Editor Picks
A: Main, news
Ironhead Homecoming Friday
September 10, 2025
The Homecoming Weekend kicks off Friday, Sept.12, with a Pep Assembly at the Eufaula High School Auditorium at 9:30 a.m. followed by a parade at 1 p.m. The coronation of Homecoming Royalty takes place...
New library coordinator challenges Checotah
A: Main, news
New library coordinator challenges Checotah
By JERRY FINK MANAGING EDITOR 
September 10, 2025
September is Library Card Sign-up Month, and so the new coordinator of Eufaula Memorial Library is taking that opportunity to challenge the Jim Lucas Checotah Public Library to a competition to see wh...
Braddock Dobbs joins School Board
A: Main, news
Braddock Dobbs joins School Board
By JERRY FINK MANAGING EDITOR 
September 10, 2025
Braddock Dobbs, 31, son of the late Margaret Dobbs, who was on the Eufaula School Board for 15 years, is following in his mother’s footsteps. Monday night, Aug. 8, at its monthly meeting, the Board ap...
Drillers honor Eufaula veteran
news
Drillers honor Eufaula veteran
September 10, 2025
Former Army Sp4 Timothy Pickering of Eufaula was honored recently at the Driller Stadium in Tulsa as a “Hometown Hero,” a program that honors people who have had a lasting impact on the community. Pic...
news
Flea Pop-Up Market
September 10, 2025
Friday – Sunday, Sept.12-14 from 10 a.m. to 5 p.m., 210 N. Main St. Booth rental available. Call Mr. Printer at 918-689-5998, Jani at 918-839-8494 or Ricky at 918-424-9961. Prices for all three days: ...
Facebook

THE EUFAULA INDIAN JOURNAL
100 N. 2nd Street
Eufaula, OK 74432

(918) 689-2191

This site complies with ADA requirements

© 2023 THE EUFAULA INDIAN JOURNAL

  • Contact
  • Privacy
  • Accessibility Policy