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 380,000 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.
Our Cherokee word for respect is ᎤᏬᎯᏳᎯ, and we are upholding these values by helping prevent the spread of COVID-19, as best we can. The Cherokee Nation is taking steps to keep our community safe!
“We must all act to stay healthy, monitoring our own health and that of our family, limiting travel, if possible, and checking on our elders who are most vulnerable,” Principal Chief Chuck Hoskin Jr. said. “The Cherokee Nation has secured federal funding to help us combat and treat any coronavirus cases, ensure our medical staff are trained to identify, treat and respond to patients efficiently and have the ability to do our own testing.”
A call center (1-833-528-0063) has been established for tribal citizens who have questions about COVID-19. It is open from 8 a.m. to 8 p.m. Monday-Friday. If tribal citizens have symptoms like cough, fever or respiratory problems, they should contact their Cherokee Nation Health center first, before entering. Local meetings and at-large community gatherings are also being postponed for the time being to help keep our employees and tribal citizens safe.
As of July 6th, Cherokee Nation Health Services has 243 confirmed cases of COVID-19.
For more information, please visit Health Services.
The Cherokee Nation will reopen its government offices in a phased plan that incorporates social distancing and has employees returning on staggered shifts starting June 1.
The Cherokee Nation is kicking off its #CherokeeNationCounts 2020 Census campaign, urging tribal citizens to complete the Census completely and accurately to help ensure the tribe receives key funding for programs including Indian Health Service and housing allocations through Housing and Urban Development.
Cherokee Nation broke ground March 3 at the Wilma P. Mankiller Health Center for an 80,000-square-foot expansion to modernize the facility originally built in 1994.
