The Cherokee Nation is a sovereign tribal government. Upon settling in Indian Territory (present-day Oklahoma) after the Indian Removal Act, the Cherokee people established a new government in what is now the city of Tahlequah, Oklahoma. A constitution was adopted on September 6, 1839, 68 years prior to Oklahoma’s statehood.
Today, the Cherokee Nation is the largest tribe in the United States with more than 370,000 tribal citizens worldwide. More than 141,000 Cherokee Nation citizens reside within the 14-county tribal jurisdictional area that covers most of northeastern Oklahoma. Services provided include health and human services, education, employment, housing, economic and infrastructure development, environmental protection and more. With approximately 11,000 employees, Cherokee Nation and its subsidiaries are one of the largest employers in northeastern Oklahoma. The tribe had a more than $2.16 billion economic impact on the Oklahoma economy in fiscal year 2018.
MISSION:
The Cherokee Nation is committed to protecting our inherent sovereignty, preserving and promoting Cherokee culture, language and values, and improving the quality of life for the next seven generations of Cherokee Nation citizens.
Principal Chief Chuck Hoskin Jr. announced and signed legislation Wednesday that will double the funding to $2 million per year to train Cherokees in the areas of construction, health, information technology and lineman trade jobs.
The grand opening ceremony for Cherokee Nation’s four-story, 469,000 square-foot outpatient health center on the Hastings campus is slated for November 14. The tribe is placing added focus on customer service, reducing patient wait times.
Cherokee Nation Health Services is offering free flu vaccinations for Cherokee Nation citizens and their families, including non-Native family members living in the household. Tribal health officials have a number of vaccination clinics scheduled in October and November at community buildings, local businesses, churches, town halls, and health centers throughout the tribe’s 14-county jurisdiction.
