When the Emancipation Proclamation was issued The Civilized tribes that held slaves had to free them. The Cherokee tribe offered to free the slaves or they could become Cherokee. I think there was a real uproar recently when the tribe decided that the Black Cherokees were no longer tribal members, don't know how that turn out.
I was born in Ottawa County (Extreme NE Corner)in 1938 and it was a segregated county until the early 60's when the local junior college brought in some Blacks to play basketball, there were some Arabs there before that I think, probably because of the money.
I think Holder's thugs (DOJ) stepped in and told the Cherokees they couldn't do that