I am also bewildered by what the tribal leadership has done with the Cherokee Freedman descendants. My grgrgrandfather and your namesake, Stand Watie who was married to my grgraunt, fought the federal government for years after the Civil war to give the Freedmen the same land allotments etc. that the Cherokee got because they considered them family. The slaves came with them on the trail of tears, they volunteered and fought in the civil war, built the South and considered themselves Southerners.
My grandfather, a lawyer, was such a pain about it all that the Union arrested and tried him for 'treason' 10 years after the war. He won that case as well as the one giving the Freedman tribal rights.
It appears the civil war within the Cherokee tribe never ended. Which was really the war the Cherokees were fighting at the time and a centuries long story in itself.
For some interesting reading and a glimpse into that era, take a look at the testimonies of some of those freedman slaves. Freedom for the slaves of the Cherokee often brought more pain, poverty and suffering than before.
" Of course I hear about Abraham Lincoln and he was a great man, but I was told mostly by my children when dey come home from school about him. I always think of my old Master as de one dat freed me, and anyways Abraham Lincoln and none of his North people didn't look after me and buy my crop right after I was free like old Master did. Dat was de time dat was the hardest and everything was dark and confusion."
http://www.african-nativeamerican.com/estelusti.htm
free dixie,sw
"The hairy faces came among us. They made us many promises;more promises than there are leaves on trees. BUT, of all the promises they made us, they kept just one. They said they would steal our lands."
TRUER words were NEVER spoken!!!!
free dixie,sw