Indian Tribe Now Says Churchill's Membership Based On Genealogy United Keetoowah Band Of Cherokee Indians Say Prof Presented Papers

POSTED: 6:58 am MDT May 20, 2005
UPDATED: 11:15 am MDT May 20, 2005

BOULDER, Colo. -- The Oklahoma Indian tribe that said an embattled University of Colorado professor could not prove any Cherokee ancestry now says his associated membership was based partly on genealogical information provided by him.

CU Professor Ward Church first came under fire for an article on the victims of Sept. 11. Now there are claims that he's lied about his heritage and plagiarized other people's works.

Ward Churchill, a tenured professor of ethnic studies who could lose his job over allegations that he lied about his ancestry and plagiarized others' work, said Thursday that the tribe's statement should put the issue to rest.

In a statement on its Web site, the United Keetoowah Band of Cherokee Indians said Churchill had genealogical information regarding his "alleged ancestry."

In addition, based on "his willingness to assist the UKB in promoting the tribe and its causes, he was awarded an 'Associate Membership' as an honor," according to the statement. "However, Mr. Churchill may possess eligibility status for Cherokee Nation of Oklahoma, since he claims 1/16 Cherokee."

However, the tribe said it had no legal record of Churchill being a federally recognized American Indian. The tribe said associate memberships, which afford no voting rights or benefits, were issued from 1991 to 1994 during former Chief John Ross' tenure.

"Receiving an Associate Membership is akin to receiving an honorary doctorate, and then claiming to have received eight years worth of university education," the statement said.

In an interview with The Associated Press, Churchill said the tribe has never alleged fraud or that his membership was rescinded. He said the tribe's statement clearly confirms that genealogy was used.

"Just leave us alone," Churchill said, adding that the confusion has arisen from repeated inquiries that has overwhelmed the tribe's small staff.

Churchill said he planned to file a grievance against the university for questioning his ancestry.

Churchill touched off a firestorm when he wrote an essay comparing some World Trade Center victims to Adolf Eichmann, one of the Nazis who orchestrated the Holocaust. CU leaders said he couldn't be fired over the statements because of First Amendment protections, but they ordered a faculty panel to review the allegations of plagiarism and that he falsely claimed to be an Indian to give his research more credibility.

In a 50-page report to the university, Churchill this week denied plagiarism charges and submitted his Keetoowah Band enrollment card.

"An associate membership is not an honorific," Churchill said. "I never contended it was a full fledged membership."

He said the tribe has a right to disenroll him or ask him to resign, but that it hasn't done so.

More Information: United Keetoowah Band of Cherokee Indians in Oklahoma

Previous Stories:

May 18, 2005: Oklahoma Tribe, Embattled CU Prof Dispute Claims About Indian Ancestry

May 17, 2005: Churchill Denies Plagiarism; Submits Tribal Membership Card

May 16, 2005: Churchill Faces Deadline To Respond To Plagiarism Charges

May 4, 2005: Longmont Completes Inquiry Into City Employee With Churchill Ties

March 30, 2005: Faculty Reviews Churchill By First Examining Themselves

March 24, 2005: CU: Churchill's Essay Protected But Alleged Plagiarism Needs Further Review

March 23, 2005: Regents Meet To Discuss Churchill, Hoffman Replacement

March 14, 2005: Most CU Regents Oppose Any Buyout For Churchill

March 11, 2005: Churchill Buyout Stalled?

March 8, 2005: CU: Review Of Churchill Expected To Take Longer

March 4, 2005: CU President: 'Dangerous Times' For Academic Freedom

March 1, 2005: Churchill: Artwork Issue Utterly Contrived

February 26, 2005: Report: CU May Offer Churchill Early Retirement

February 10, 2005: Churchill Speech At Wisconsin University Given Green Light

February 9, 2005: Churchill: I'm Not Backing Up One Inch

February 8, 2005: CU Professor's Speech Goes On, As Scheduled

February 8, 2005: Controversial CU Professor's Boulder Speech Canceled

February 5, 2005: CU Professor Refuses To Apologize For 9/11 Essay

February 3, 2005: Protesters Arrested As CU Regents Meet About Professor

February 1, 2005: CU Prof's Appearance In New York Canceled

February 1, 2005: Gov. Owens Letter Calls For Churchill To Step Down

February 1, 2005: Controversial CU Prof Resigns As Department Chair

January 28, 2005: School Won't Cancel CU Prof's Controversial Appearance

January 28, 2005: CU Distances Itself From Prof.'s Controversial 9/11 Remarks

January 27, 2005: CU Professor Who Suggested 9/11 Attacks Were Justified Stirs Protest

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Last updated on May 26, 2005

He said the tribe has a right to disenroll him or ask him to resign, but that it hasn't done so. More Information: United Keetoowah Band of Cherokee Indians in Oklahoma Previous Stories: May 18, 2005: Oklahoma Tribe, Embattled CU Prof Dispute Claims About Indian Ancestry May 17, 2005: Churchill Denies Plagiarism; Submits Tribal Membership Card May 16, 2005: Churchill Faces Deadline To Respond To Plagiarism Charges May 4, 2005: Longmont Completes Inquiry Into City Employee With Churchill Ties March 30, 2005: Faculty Reviews Churchill By First Examining Themselves March 24, 2005: CU: Churchill's Essay Protected But Alleged Plagiarism Needs Further Review March 23, 2005: Regents Meet To Discuss Churchill, Hoffman Replacement March 14, 2005: Most CU Regents Oppose Any Buyout For Churchill March 11, 2005: Churchill Buyout Stalled? March 8, 2005: CU: Review Of Churchill Expected To Take Longer March 4, 2005: CU President: 'Dangerous Times' For Academic Freedom March 1, 2005: Churchill: Artwork Issue Utterly Contrived February 26, 2005: Report: CU May Offer Churchill Early Retirement February 10, 2005: Churchill Speech At Wisconsin University Given Green Light February 9, 2005: Churchill: I'm Not Backing Up One Inch February 8, 2005: CU Professor's Speech Goes On, As Scheduled February 8, 2005: Controversial CU Professor's Boulder Speech Canceled February 5, 2005: CU Professor Refuses To Apologize For 9/11 Essay February 3, 2005: Protesters Arrested As CU Regents Meet About Professor February 1, 2005: CU Prof's Appearance In New York Canceled February 1, 2005: Gov. Owens Letter Calls For Churchill To Step Down February 1, 2005: Controversial CU Prof Resigns As Department Chair January 28, 2005: School Won't Cancel CU Prof's Controversial Appearance January 28, 2005: CU Distances Itself From Prof.'s Controversial 9/11 Remarks January 27, 2005: CU Professor Who Suggested 9/11 Attacks Were Justified Stirs Protest Copyright 2005 by The Associated Press. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten or redistributed. http://www.thedenverchannel.com/news/4511332/detail.html