Is is possible for American Indians to trace their ancestry?

Question

I need the 1924 Bakers Roll.

Answer 1

Well, I thought you meant ancestry, like "way back". That can be done only through tribal legends/stories (their method of record keeping) or DNA.

Answer 2

It can be done but it isn't easy.

Answer 3

i would consult the leadership of your own tribe

Answer 4

The Baker Roll is the base roll document for the Eastern Band of Cherokee located in North Carolina.  Only those whose ancestors were in the area at the time and signed on to the rolls will appear.  Only those who have ancestors on the rolls will have confirmation of their ancestry.  The Eastern Band of Cherokee also requires a 1/16 minimum blood degree in order to become enrolled.

If you are descended from a non-North Carolina-area Cherokee person you would not use the Baker Roll.

Answer 5

It depends on the tribe and how closely your family was a part of it. It's not hard for many Cherokee to trace their families back to the 1700s...unless the line broke off and didn't stay part of the tribe. In that case, you'd have to look for records in the white world and there's not guaranteeing they exist. If you're in the Chippewa tribe, the records go back to the days of the Northwest Territory. But if your ancestor was a child taken away from the tribe and put up for adoption in the white world, those records are extremely well hidden. The reality is that it depends on who you're researching, where they lived and how well their tribe assimilated to western record-keeping.