Can`t say I ever met an Cherokee named Ward. Or a Cherokee named Churchill. Like Steven Wright once said; He was once on a plane sitting next to a beautiful blonde with tremendous breasts. When he asked her what kind of men she liked, she said she loved Jewish cowboys, at which Steven said; "Allow me to introduce myself, my name is Bucky Goldstein". Ward Churchill is about as believable.
He claimed to be 1/16th Cherokee, meaning his name could be just about anything. My grandfather was 1/4 Cherokee, and had a French name.
Jewish cowboys?
There's a competing story. ;^)