Both the Oklahoma and Indian Territories contained suzerain Indian nations that had legally established boundaries. The US federal government allotted collective tribal landholdings through the allotment process before the establishment of Oklahoma as a state in 1907. Tribal jurisdictional areas replaced the tribal governments,[1] with the exception of the Osage Nation. As confirmed by the Osage Nation Reaffirmation Act of 2004, the Osage Nation retains mineral rights to their reservation,[2] the so-called "Underground Reservation".
The United States Census has collected data on the reservations since 1990. These Oklahoma Tribal Statistical Areas are based on pre-statehood boundaries and may extend beyond the state border.
In 2017, the United States Court of Appeals for the Tenth Circuit ruled that the Muscogee (Creek) Nation reservation was never abolished by federal law.[3][4][5] (See: Carpenter v. Murphy.)
In 2020, the United States Supreme Court ruled in McGirt v. Oklahoma that the land reserved for the Muscogee (Creek) Nation since the 19th century remains Indian country.
- ^ Schlosser, Thomas P. "Tribal Civil Jurisdiction" Archived 2016-03-03 at the Wayback Machine. Morisset, Schlosser, Homer, Jozwiak & McGaw. June 2001. Retrieved January 12, 2013.
- ^ Sunlight Foundation. "Reaffirmation Of Certain Rights Of The Osage Tribe" Archived 2013-04-14 at archive.today. Capital Worlds. 1 June 2004. Retrieved January 12, 2013.
- ^ http://www.scotusblog.com/wp-content/uploads/2018/02/17-1107-opinion-below.pdf [bare URL PDF]
- ^ "Sharp v. Murphy".
- ^ Ford, Matt (15 March 2018). "The Grisly Murder Case That Could Turn Half of Oklahoma Back into Tribal Lands". The New Republic.