Promised Land | August

(OKLAHOMA) These stories are part of the Oklahoma Media Center’s Promised Land collaborative effort, which shows how the landmark McGirt v. Oklahoma decision will affect both tribal and non-Indigenous residents in the state.

Here is a look at some of the stories that have been published thus far in August. 

Court: 'McGirt v. Oklahoma' Ruling Applies Only Going Forward, Not Retroactively

KOSU | By Allison Herrera 

On Thursday, the Oklahoma Court of Criminal Appeals ruled last summer's U.S. Supreme Court McGirt v. Oklahoma decision will remain the law of the land, but it will only apply going forward when it comes to criminal cases.

Link to full story. 

State AG asks U.S. Supreme Court to overturn historic tribal sovereignty ruling

The Lawton Constitution | By Scott Rains

The Oklahoma Attorney General is asking the U.S. Supreme Court to overturn its historic 2020 decision in favor of tribal sovereignty. 

Link to full story. 

Tulsa World: One of first cases overturned on tribal jurisdiction grounds results in federal conviction 

Tulsa World | By Curtis Killman 

A federal jury convicted a Muscogee Nation tribal member Thursday of a 1999 McIntosh County murder after the U.S. Supreme Court threw out his state conviction and death sentence in one of the first cases to successfully argue that the state of Oklahoma did not have jurisdiction to try the defendant because of his American Indian status. 

Link to full story. 

Muscogee citizens to vote on free press amendment this September 

VNN | By Brittany Harlow

While American citizens, Native Americans are also citizens of their own sovereign nations. And not one of those nations has freedom of the press as a constitutional guarantee. But that could change this September, when Muscogee Nation citizens take to the polls to vote whether to amend their constitution.

Link to full story. 

“Promised Land” is a project of the Local Media Foundation with support from the Inasmuch Foundation, the Walton Family Foundation and the Democracy Fund. 

The print, digital and broadcast media partners include: CNHI Oklahoma, Cherokee Phoenix, Curbside Chronicle, The Frontier, Griffin Communications, KFOR, KGOU, KOSU, The Lawton Constitution, Moore Monthly, Mvskoke Media, the Native American Journalists Association, NonDoc, The O’Colly, Oklahoma City Free Press, The Oklahoma Eagle, Oklahoma Gazette, The Oklahoman, Oklahoma Watch, Osage News, StateImpact Oklahoma, Tulsa World, Telemundo Oklahoma, University of Oklahoma Student Media and Verified News Network.

Read more about the Promised Land project here.