The Indigenous Identity Starter Guide: Your Roadmap to Reclaiming Who You Are

Joshua Robinson
May 12
5 min read

Welcome to your starting point. If you have ever wondered whether your family's classification as 'Black,' 'Negro,' 'Colored,' or 'African-American' tells the whole story — this guide is for you. Inside, you will find everything you need to begin the journey of reclaiming your aboriginal North American identity.

Sovereignty is not granted. It is recognized. This guide will help you recognize what was always yours.

Part One: Understanding What Happened

Before you can reclaim what was taken, you must understand how it was taken. The renaming of aboriginal peoples to 'Black' or 'Negro' was not accidental — it was a deliberate, centuries-long strategy carried out through three primary mechanisms:

Census misclassification — Aboriginal peoples recorded as 'Negro' or 'Colored' regardless of their actual heritage
Vital records manipulation — Birth, marriage, and death certificates altered to erase indigenous identification
Legal redefinition — Laws like the Racial Integrity Act of 1924 that established the 'one-drop rule'

The result: entire indigenous bloodlines were administratively wiped out, even as the people themselves continued to live. Their descendants — possibly including you — grew up not knowing who they truly were.

Part Two: Signs You May Be a Descendant of Paper Genocide

Ask yourself these questions. The more 'yes' answers, the higher the likelihood of indigenous lineage in your family:

Did your family live in the American Southeast, Mid-Atlantic, or along the Trail of Tears path?
Do family stories mention an 'Indian grandmother' or 'Indian blood'?
Does your family's racial classification on official documents shift between generations?
Do you have ancestors with the surnames known to be tribal (Cherokee, Choctaw, Creek, etc.)?
Did your family experience unexplained land loss in the 19th or early 20th century?
Are there 'mulatto' or 'mustee' classifications in your older census records?
Do older family members describe physical features that don't fit standard 'African' classification?
Has your family always lived in or near historically indigenous territory?

If you answered yes to three or more, you are likely a descendant of paper genocide. The truth is recoverable.

Part Three: Your First Genealogy Steps

Identity restoration begins with research. Here is your first-90-days roadmap:

Week 1-2: Document What You Already Know

Interview every elder in your family
Collect names, dates, and locations as far back as memory goes
Photograph or scan old family documents, Bibles, photographs
Note family stories about 'Indian' ancestors specifically

Week 3-6: Find the Records

Pull U.S. Census records (1790-1950) — note the 'Race' column over generations
Order birth, marriage, and death certificates for known ancestors
Search Freedmen's Bureau records (if Southern roots)
Search the Dawes Rolls if Southeast or Oklahoma connections

Week 7-12: Look for the Shifts

Identify ancestors whose classification changed between censuses
Find original land records, deeds, and patents
Document any names that appear on tribal rolls
Begin mapping a genealogical chart back at least 5 generations

An ancestor recorded as 'Indian' in 1860, 'Mulatto' in 1880, and 'Black' in 1920 is a paper genocide signal. Their identity was erased on paper. Yours can be restored.

Part Four: Your Rights as an Indigenous Person

Once you have begun documenting your lineage, you must understand the rights you hold. Three international legal instruments define indigenous rights worldwide:

UNDRIP — UN Declaration on the Rights of Indigenous Peoples (2007)

Endorsed by the United States in 2010. Key protections:

The right to self-determination (Article 3)
Freedom from forced assimilation or destruction of culture (Article 8)
The right to belong to an indigenous community according to that community's customs (Article 9)
Protection from removal from traditional lands without consent (Article 10)
Recognition of treaties (Article 37)

ADRIP — American Declaration on the Rights of Indigenous Peoples (2016)

Hemisphere-specific protections that recognize:

Indigenous peoples as collective subjects of international law
Spiritual and cultural relationship with traditional lands
The right to autonomous governance

ILO Convention 169 — Indigenous and Tribal Peoples Convention (1989)

The only binding treaty on indigenous rights. The U.S. has NOT ratified it, but U.S. courts increasingly cite it as evidence of international consensus.

You have the right to self-identify as indigenous. You have the right to reject misclassification. You have the right to seek redress for historical wrongs. These rights exist whether the U.S. government acknowledges them or not.

Part Five: The Land Question

Many descendants of aboriginal North Americans are heirs to land patents — original federal land grants — that they don't know exist. These can come from:

Treaty allotments to tribal members
Dawes Act allotments (1887-1934)
Pre-removal land claims
Freedmen patents
Homestead patents in indigenous territories

If your family lost land under unclear circumstances, if older relatives spoke of 'land that was taken,' or if your ancestors lived in historically indigenous territories — there may be a federal land patent in your family's name, sitting unclaimed in government archives.

Land patent research is technical and requires expertise. Improper claims can foreclose later, stronger ones. This is why FIP offers Land Patent Location as a paid service — to ensure your claim is preserved and properly executed.

Part Six: Your Sovereignty Action Steps

Knowledge without action is incomplete. Here are the immediate steps you can take:

Begin your family documentation this week — don't wait
Order at least one official record (census, certificate, or land deed) within 30 days
Read the Federation of Indigenous Peoples' blog articles on Paper Genocide, the Racial Integrity Act, and the Dawes Rolls
Connect with other descendants of paper genocide through the FIP community
Begin updating your personal records to reflect indigenous self-identification where possible
Decline imposed misclassification on government forms when given the option
Educate at least one family member about paper genocide
Submit a Member Application to FIP to receive guidance and join the community

Part Seven: Where to Go From Here

This starter guide is a beginning, not a destination. The Federation of Indigenous Peoples provides comprehensive services to help you move forward:

Genealogical Research — Professional tracing of your indigenous lineage
Land Patent Location — Identifying ancestral land patents tied to your family
Legal Education — Deep training on your rights under UNDRIP, ADRIP, ILO 169
Business Consulting — Sovereign entity structuring and operations
Business Networking — Connect with indigenous entrepreneurs and professionals
Sovereignty Consulting — Full support in navigating identity reclamation

The truth of who you are has not been destroyed. It has only been buried. The Federation of Indigenous Peoples is here to help you dig it up.

Walk in the knowledge of who you are. Adanasgisgi Eladisgi — Land Guardians. Ani Tsusqua — We Are the People.

Next Step: Apply for FIP Membership

If this guide has spoken to something you have always known, the next step is to formally connect with the Federation of Indigenous Peoples. Our Member Application is the gateway to one-on-one support, community connection, and the full suite of FIP services. We will help you walk in the knowledge of who you truly are.

Federation of Indigenous Peoples

TribalAffairs@FIPnation.org

Sovereignty in Every Facet of Life