Memoir to Myself

Judge Russell Between Cases; Son Paul Over Shoulder. Family Photo.

It Felt Necessary and Only I Could Write it — so I Did

The existence of my Cherokee citizenship represents a cultural dilution from after the Cherokee Nation became a constitutional republic. Before then, I would get my clan identity and therefore my citizenship from my Cherokee mother or not at all.

My raising among the Creeks did not give me any feel for the Muscogee language — I actually heard Cherokee…