100th Anniversary of the Indian Citizenship Act Commemoration Event to be held June 2

(OKLAHOMA CITY, Okla.) Rock the Native Vote is organizing in a big way this June, commemorating the 100th anniversary of the Indian Citizenship Act. 

Despite the United States founding in 1776, Native Americans would be considered “domestic foreigners” until nearly 150 years later. 

Related Story: In Oklahoma, theft of Indigenous land was swift and relentless following statehood

Congress enacted the Indian Citizenship Act on June 2, 1924, which granted citizenship to all Native Americans born in the U.S., federally protecting their right to vote in the process. 

Unfortunately, as far as state voting rights went, some states refused to allow Native Americans to vote until they were forced to, such as Arizona. The Arizona Supreme Court ended up striking down a provision of its state constitution that kept Native Americans from voting, according to the Library of Congress in 1948. New Mexico was also forced to allow Native Americans to vote, after the Federal court in Santa Fe ruled as such the same year. 

The 100th Anniversary of the Indian Citizenship Act Commemoration Event is a non-partisan event sponsored by Rock the Native Vote, the Groundwork Project, AARP Oklahoma, the General Board of Global Ministries of The United Methodist Church, the National Urban Indian Family Coalition and First Americans Museum (FAM). 

It will be held on June from 7 to 10 p.m. in the FAM Courtyard in Oklahoma City. 

Attendees are encouraged to bring their friends, family and a chair to enjoy the festivities, which include performances by Indigenous artists AJ Harvey, Cecil Gray, Olivia Komahcheet, and TONEMAH.

Those in attendance will also have the opportunity to meet with Rock The Native Vote representatives at voter registration tables to exercise their right to vote this election season. 

Attendees can sign up to attend the 100th Anniversary of the Indian Citizenship Act Commemoration Event on Facebook.

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