Keetoowah Society
The Keetoowah Society, established in 1859 by two white abolitionist clergymen, aimed to advocate for the interests of full-blooded Cherokee individuals. Initially focused on organizing opposition to slavery, the society evolved to prioritize the protection of Cherokee cultural and political interests. Members, often referred to as "Pin Indians," identified themselves with crossed pins on their lapels and sought to blend Christianity with traditional Cherokee rituals. At its height, the society boasted over two thousand members and remained staunchly loyal to the Union during the Civil War, leading to conflicts with the Confederacy, which conscripted some members into military service. Following the war, the Keetoowah Society actively participated in Cherokee affairs, notably opposing the Dawes Commission and advocating for the respect of treaty rights and self-governance. After the 1900 agreement between the Cherokee delegation and the Dawes Commission, the society encouraged its members to boycott the terms, later transitioning into a political party known as the Union Party. Unique in its identity, the Keetoowah Society served as a fraternal lodge and is distinguished by its emblem, the United States flag, marking its historical significance within Cherokee society.
On this Page
Keetoowah Society
The Keetoowah Society was founded by two white clergymen in 1859 in an effort to advance the interests of full-blooded Cherokee. The men were abolitionists, and their goal, ostensibly, was to organize Cherokee opposition to slavery. Members of the order were full-bloods, and some called themselves “Pin Indians,” wearing crossed pins on their left lapels. The Keetoowah Society evolved from simple support of abolition to a group whose purpose was the protection of Cherokee interests. Society goals were taken from the ancient Anti-Kutani, designed to oppose adoption of European American ways. “Pin Indians” were Christians who wished to syncretize their religion with ancient tribal rites.
The Keetoowah Society was popular and at one time had a membership of more than two thousand men. It was fiercely loyal to the Union during the Civil War (1861–1865). That fact threatened the Confederacy, which impressed society members into military service. Stories abound of men who were forced to serve the South and deserted at the first opportunity.
Following the Civil War, the Keetoowah Society remained active in Cherokee political and social life. It opposed the Dawes Commission and the Dawes General Allotment Act in the 1890s, insisting on the observance of treaty obligations, a guarantee of self-government, and freedom from territorial organization. When the Cherokee delegation reached agreement with the Dawes Commission in 1900, the full-blood Keetoowah Society urged its members to boycott the agreement. In 1906, the Dawes Commission agreement prevailed. The society then functioned as a political party (the Union Party) and fraternal lodge, the only fraternal lodge in the United States whose principal emblem is the United States flag.
Bibliography
Duncan, James W. "The Keetoowah Society: What It Has Done, and is Doing, for the Cherokee People." Chronicles of Oklahoma 4.3 (1926): 252–254. Oklahoma Historical Soc. Web. 27 Apr. 2015.
Franzmann, Tom. "Pin Indians." Encyclopedia of Oklahoma History and Culture. Oklahoma Historical Soc., 2009. Web. 27 Apr. 2015.
McLoughlin, William Gerald. Cherokees and Christianity, 1794–1870: Essays on Acculturation and Cultural Persistence. Athens: U of Georgia P, 2009.
Minges, Patrick. "The Keetoowah Society and the Avocation of Religious Nationalism in the Cherokee Nation, 1855–1867." US Data Repository. USGenNet, 16 Dec. 2004. Web. 27 Apr. 2015.
Minges, Patrick N. Slavery in the Cherokee Nation: The Keetoowah Society and the Defining of a People, 1855–1867. New York: Routledge, 2003. Print.