Cherokee Nation
ᏣᎳᎩ (Tsalagi)
Cherokee Nation is a contemporary sovereign Tribal government based in Tahlequah, Oklahoma. Its history connects southeastern homelands, forced removal in the 1830s, constitutional government in Indian Territory, and continuing governance within the Cherokee Nation Reservation.
Homelands, government, and contemporary presence
Historical homelands
Cherokee homelands extended across a broad part of the southern Appalachian and southeastern United States, including areas now within Alabama, Georgia, Kentucky, North Carolina, South Carolina, Tennessee, Virginia, and West Virginia.
Government
A constitutional, tripartite government with executive, legislative, and judicial branches. The Principal Chief, Deputy Principal Chief, and Tribal Council representatives are elected by Cherokee Nation citizens.
Contemporary presence
The Nation exercises government authority and provides public services from Tahlequah across its reservation in northeastern Oklahoma while serving citizens living within and beyond the reservation.
Tribal citizenship is a Nation-defined political status and is not the same measure as a U.S. Census race response.
This describes the Nation's stated reservation area; the atlas map displays only a headquarters point.
Fifteen councilors represent districts and two represent citizens living at large.
A concise, sourced timeline
These milestones are orientation points, not a complete history.
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Constitution, forced removal, and reunification
The Nation adopted a written constitution in 1827. Most Cherokee people were forcibly removed in 1838–1839, and survivors established a renewed constitutional government in Indian Territory.
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Cherokee Advocate
The Nation established the Cherokee Advocate in Tahlequah, publishing in English and Cherokee using Sequoyah's syllabary.
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Contemporary constitutional government
The current Cherokee Nation Constitution was ratified in 2003, supporting a modern three-branch sovereign government.
Continuity is contemporary
Languages named in this profile
- Cherokee (Tsalagi Gawonihisdi)
- English
Language family: Iroquoian
The Cherokee syllabary created by Sequoyah supported Cherokee-language literacy and the bilingual Cherokee Advocate newspaper.
Language revitalization, education, cultural preservation, and community service are active parts of the Nation's present-day work.
Cherokee history includes constitutional continuity, treaty relations, Cherokee Freedmen citizenship, and recovery from coercive U.S. removal and allotment policies.
This summary describes only what the cited public sources support. Cultural knowledge can be community-specific, seasonal, restricted, or inappropriate to publish; absence from this page does not mean absence from the Nation.
Ask about this reviewed profile
The guide can explain and connect facts already present on this page. It cannot search the open web, establish identity or citizenship, or evaluate ancestry and genetic information.
Sources used for this page
Prefer the Nation's own public materials. Public-institution sources add legal, directory, or historical context where needed.
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S1
About the Nation
Cherokee Nation · Official Nation · Reviewed 2026
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S2
Cherokee Nation History
Cherokee Nation · Official Nation · Reviewed 2026
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S3
Our Government
Cherokee Nation · Official Nation · Reviewed 2026
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S4
Tribal Leaders Directory
U.S. Indian Affairs · Federal public record · 2026
Editorial review: August 1, 2026