On July 9, 2020, the United States Supreme Court decided McGirt v. Oklahoma. The Court’s decision re-recognized the Muscogee (Creek) Nation reservation borders from its 1866 treaty with the United States. Overnight, the extent of Muscogee Nation recognized and governed lands went from about 135,000 acres to its 1866 reservation of three and a quarter million acres in eastern Oklahoma. The case has been described as a “bombshell.” Subsequently, Oklahoma state courts have followed the precedent of McGirt and have re-recognized the Nineteenth Century reservation borders of up to ten other Indian nations. The eastern part of the state is almost all now “Indian Country” under federal law and the tribal nations and the federal government have enormous obligations and powers to exercise sovereignty and jurisdiction over 43% of the state and the 1.8 million Oklahomans who live in those areas. This class will analyze this court case and its consequences. Students will read and discuss the McGirt decision, the 2023 book “A Promise Kept: The Muscogee (Creek) Nation and McGirt v. Oklahoma,” other relevant state and federal courts cases, news articles, and other materials.
Additional information can be found here.
- Enrollment through your home campus; contact your local OSLEP campus coordinator for information
- OSLEP provides all required reading materials at no additional cost-NO books to buy!
- Housing and meals provided
- In-person residential seminar
