The Cherokee Nation has three (3) federally recognized groups and each have their own requirements for enrollment.

1.      Cherokee Nation of Oklahoma[1]

The requirements for enrollment with this tribe the applicant must be a direct descendant (grandparent or great grandparent, etc.) of a person found on the Dawes Rolls. This person would have been enrolled about 1898-1914 and living in the Cherokee Nation of now Oklahoma. There is no ‘blood quantum’ necessary.

2.      Eastern Band of Cherokee Indians[2]

They are no longer accepting new enrollment. They are only enrolling the newborns born on the reservation. It is possible that this could change in the future. (The requirements prior to the 1996 closing: descended from an enrolled person on the “Baker rolls” of 1949 and have a blood quantum of 1/16^th)  

3.      United Keetowah Band[3]

The United Keetowah Band will accept any Cherokee descendant whose ancestor was listed on the 1949 UKB Base Roll or any other Historical Cherokee Roll AND ¼ Cherokee blood.

There are many other Cherokee ‘Bands’ but none are federally recognized. For more information please read: Tony Mack McClure, Ph.D. Cherokee Proud, published by Chunannee Books, Somerville, Tennessee. I found my copy at Amazon.com.

Another helpful book for doing your own research for Cherokee ancestors: Thomas G. Mooney Exploring Your Cherokee Ancestor, published by The Cherokee National Historical Society.