TULSA, Okla. – The largest city on the Mvskoke Reservation now has a new mayor. Monroe Nichols was sworn in on Dec. 2 as Tulsa’s 41st, and first African American mayor. The newly-elected mayor has sparked potential for stronger relationships with the city and tribal leaders from the Muscogee (Creek) Nation, Cherokee Nation and Osage Nation. One of Nichol’s campaign promises is ending adversarial lawsuits between the city and tribal governments. Mvskoke leadership met with Nichols at the River Spirit Casino on Nov. 27 to discuss collaboration opportunities and celebrate his new appointment.
“I started my campaign with a promise to improve and build upon the City’s relationship with our tribal Nations,” Nichols said. “Today is one of the last engagements I’ll have before officially taking office, so I’m proud that this campaign ended how it began: with an emphasis on our relationship with our tribal partners.”
The City of Tulsa has had a complicated relationship with the Nation over the past few years due to lawsuits filed in the U.S. District Courts in the post-McGirt era. In Hooper vs. Tulsa, Justin Hooper, a Choctaw citizen, was issued a traffic ticket on the MCN Reservation by the City of Tulsa. Hooper argued the city did not have the jurisdiction to issue the ticket to a Native American within the MCN’s jurisdiction. The Tenth Circuit Court of Appeals ruled in favor of Hooper.
MCN then took the City of Tulsa to court, claiming that the city violated federal law and infringed upon the rights of tribal citizens by unlawfully prosecuting them. The U.S. Department of Justice filed a motion in that case supporting the MCN in their assertion of criminal jurisdiction over Native American citizens of federally-recognized tribes.
In the most recent fight to maintain criminal jurisdiction over tribal citizens, the Oklahoma Appellate Court ruled that the City of Tulsa retained the right to prosecute Osage citizen Ryan O’Brien for a 2021 DUI charge.
In spite of the ongoing lawsuits, the city has made strides with the Nation when they announced transfer the Council Oak Tree Park property in a land back effort during the annual Council Oak Tree Day Ceremony on Nov. 9. Tulsa officials announced the city will transfer ownership of the Council Oak property to the Muscogee Nation.
Nichols’ inauguration also marks a significant milestone for Tulsa. The very same city was once the site of the horrific 1921 Tulsa Race Massacre, where black-owned businesses in the Greenwood neighborhood were looted and destroyed by white rioters. The neighborhood garnished the name “Black Wall Street” due to the fact that it was one of the most commercially-successful black neighborhoods in the country at the time.
Secretary of the Nation Jason Salsman issued a public statement expressing his enthusiasm for Nichol’s appointment.
“Historic Inauguration Day for Tvlse’s next Mayor! Congratulations to my guy Monroe Nichols, wishing you all the best on your big day and look forward to the collaborative efforts to make our Reservation and founding city the brightest in the country!”
To learn more about Nichol’s platforms, visit the official City of Tulsa website.
