Strange but true, Mel!! Even though our Constitution says somewhere that anyone born in the United States is a citizen ... I think, historically, this came about because Indian Territory was not part of the United States, and Indian tribes were independent, sovereign nations dealt with by treaty under international law. Indian chiefs were even received as royalty by the English monarchs in colonial times. Later, when Indians were confined to "reservations" -- remnants of their own land and usually the worst land available -- the reservations were technically not part of the United States (but only held "in trust" by the federal government) and the reservation Indians were not citizens, were not counted in the census for purposes of representation, could not vote, etc. Indians living off the reservation were not automatically made citizens but could apply for citizenship. In 1924 (in what I read was a violation of international law), without asking the Indians whether they wanted to belong to what was a foreign government, the United States decided to make all American Indians citizens of the United States, regardless of where they were living. This would be like making the Japanese in Occupied Japan citizens of the United States, whether they wanted to be or not. While many regarded citizenship for Indians as a good move, some nations such as the Navajo have actually petitioned the United Nations for recognition as the sovereign nations they were, prior to US imperialism. I'm not sure what action the United Nations ever took on these requests. Anyway, the result has made Indian rights even more complicated than ever, because there are the rights of US citizens (many of which were previously denied) and then there are treaty rights of various Indian tribes, and sometimes these are in conflict. A bunch of red-white-and-blue tape! Wish I could give you some names to look up, but don't know any. Will be interested if you find any "Naturalized Natives," though. Joan ===================================================== In a message dated 10/25/00 7:45:37 PM Pacific Daylight Time, tkelley@yosemite.net writes: > > Hey gang, I have been told that Native Americans could petition to become > "Citizens ' ( SNORT! Is this an oxy moron or not? ) > As I go thru these many citzenship indices, would you all mind sending me > a few names to look up and see if I can find at least one example of this > actually happening. > ( Like I don't have anything else to do..... HEE!) > Mel > >