Attorneys for a group of "Creek Freedmen" have announced a lawsuit against the Muscogee (Creek) Nation.

The group, called The Muscogee (Creek) Indian Freedmen Band, Inc, says the Muscogee (Creek) Nation "with full knowledge and approval of the [Department of Interior], continues to deny so-called 'Creek Freedmen' and their Descendants their Creek citizenship in violation of the Creek Treaty of 1866, the Constitution of the United States, the Administrative Procedure Act, and the Indian Civil Rights Act."

Attorney Kristopher Koepsel with the Creek Freedmen says they want full tribal rights.

"The right to vote, the right to hold office, the right to run for office, all benefits that are granted to all equally situated creek citizens," he said. "We can’t accept anything less."

Demario Solomon-Simmons is part of the Creek Freedman's legal team. He says his grandmother was taken off tribal roles.

“They stripped her, stole her citizenship, her culture, her history and just tried to erase her and our people out of the entire Creek Nation history,” he said.

Attorneys say the MCN has "spent the last four decades systematically denying citizenship to the Creek Freedmen by rewriting its tribal constitution and citizenship regulations." The plaintiffs include descendants of:

• Creeks of "African Descent"
• Free "Africans" living as citizens of the Creek Nation
• "Mixed blood" Creek Nation citizens
• Individuals who were enslaved by MCN, who were listed as Creek Freedmen on the Dawes Rolls because of the color of their skin

The lawsuit lists its defendants as Creek Nation Principal Chief James Floyd; the United States Department of the Interior, Ryan Zinke, secretary of the DOI. The group is seeking "judicial recognition of their lawful heritage, not monetary compensation."