The Index to the Final Rolls of Citizens and Freedmen of the Five Civilized Tribes in Indian Territory, is the index to the names of individuals entitled to enrollment on the rolls of the various tribes comprising the Five Civilized Tribes in Indian Territory (Oklahoma). The index entries are arranged by tribe and there under by enrollment category (Cherokee By Blood, Cherokee Minor, Cherokee Freedmen, etc.). The entries for each enrollment category are arranged alphabetically by surname. (It should be noted that surname entries are not always in strict alphabetical order). Each index entry gives an enrollee's name and final roll number. After a person's enrollment category and final roll number have been determined, the final rolls can be searched to discover the enrollee's census card number.

The Dawes Roll are important because The Dawes Rolls are the final list of recognized members of the tribes, and freedman allotted land in the state of Oklahoma. The Act that created the Dawes was to take away allotted land and reallocate it within the tribe. It is ironic, to me, that such a heinous Roll that took-away so much from the tribes, could now be used to take-way and keep-away descendants of those tribes. To use those very Rolls to determine tribal citizenship by requiring proof of relationship--as a descendent--to someone on the Dawes Rolls is again, ironic. The federal government will never recognize you as a citizen of a tribe listed on the Dawes, without that proof--their proof. Further irony is that no other minority is required to "prove" they are a minority. The truth is ... you will be required to prove you are directly related to someone on the Dawes Rolls, or another roll. There is no other way.

The Guion Miller Roll is an index of 46,000 Cherokee applications. This important Cherokee Roll allows you to check to see if one of your family members applied to be admitted to the Guion Miller Roll, and whether or not was accepted. Not all applicants were admitted! The Guion Miller Roll contains all 46,000 applicants, both admitted and rejected! However, the Roll will tell you only if the applicant was admitted or rejected, it will only tell you the application number of the person listed. If you find the name of a family member on the Guion Miller Roll, you will then need to send for a copy of that application.

Bureau of Indian Affairs. Scope & Content John W. Wallace compiled the original rolls for the Authenticated, Admitted, and Rejected Freedmen, and the Free Negroes. Because of discrepancies, additional supplements were added. Individual entries give name, age, sex, residence, and other pertinent information. The individual rolls are generally arranged alphabetically by initial letter of surname of head of family, but occasionally they may first be divided into groups and districts. General Note These rolls were created because the Cherokee citizenship of many ex-slaves of the Cherokee in Indian Territory was disputed by the Cherokee tribe. The establishment of their status was important in determining their right to live on Cherokee land and to share in certain annuity and other payment, including a special $75,000 award voted by Congress on October 19, 1888. A series of investigations was conducted in order to compile the rolls of the Cherokee Freedmen. These investigations were conducted by John W. Wallace, 1889-1890; Leo E. Bennett, 1891-92; Marcus D. Shelby, 1893; James G. Dickson, 1895-96; and William Clifton, William Thompson, and Robert H. Kern, 1896-97.

Choctaws by Blood is the index to the names of individuals entitled to enrollment on the Dawes Rolls categorized people using a matriarchal system, i.e. it's based on the mother's race. For example, if one's mother was Cherokee and father was a Freedman, the person will be listed under Cherokee by Blood. If one's mother is a Freedman and one's father is Cherokee, the person will be listed under Cherokee Freedmen. Other categories include by Marriage, by Intermarriage, Minors, and Newborn.