Washitaw Nation

The Washitaw Nation, or Washitaw de Dugdahmoundyah, is a group of Black Americans that claim to be a sovereign Native American nation within the boundaries of the United States.[1] Their name is taken from that of the Ouachita tribe,[2] who are also eponymous of the Washita River and of Washita, Oklahoma. It is part of the Sovereign citizen movement, a movement that believes its members are not subject to any statutes or proceedings at the federal, state, or municipal levels.[3][4]

The group was headed by Verdiacee Hampton Goston (a.k.a. Verdiacee Turner, a.k.a. Empress Verdiacee Tiari Washitaw Turner Goston El-Bey, ca. 1927–2014[5]). She was mayor of Richwood, Louisiana twice, in 1975–76 and 1980–84. She is the author of the self-published book Return of the Ancient Ones (1993). Goston asserts that the United Nations "registers the Washitaw as indigenous people No. 215".[2]

In 1999, the Southern Poverty Law Center estimated the group had about 200 hard-core members, noting its popularity among followers of Moorish Science, an older black nationalist movement. The asserted legal basis for the establishment of the Washitaw Nation is a theory that individuals and groups may declare "sovereignty" and separate from state and federal governments, a concept earlier used by the Posse Comitatus. The argument is also made that Napoleon only sold "the streets of New Orleans and a military barracks" and that the rest of Louisiana was stolen from the Washitaw.[2]

Various United States courts have held that the Washitaw Nation is fictional and that it is not recognized as a sovereign nation.[6][7]

Like other sovereign citizen groups they use techniques such as flooding courts with lawsuits. In Memphis in 2011 they employed methods such as " meaningless lawsuits, bogus liens, forged quitclaim deeds transferring homeownership from vacationing Memphis residents to members of the Washitaw Nation.[4] They have also used fraudulent car registration plates.[8]

The Washitaw Nation is the accrediting agent for a diploma mill, the City University of Los Angeles.[9][10]

References

  1. ↑ Barton, Paul. “Ancient Africans in recent America”, New African, 1 October 2004.
  2. 1 2 3 "Born on the Bayou", Southern Poverty Law Center Intelligence Report, Spring 1999.
  3. ↑ Erwin, James L. (2006). Declarations of Independence: Encyclopedia of American Autonomous and Secessionist Movements. Greenwood Press. p. 205. ISBN 978-0313332678. Retrieved 17 February 2016.
  4. 1 2 Nelson, Leah. "Memphis Stew". Intelligence Report. SPLC. Retrieved 17 February 2016.
  5. ↑ "Former Richwood mayor dies". KNOE.com.
  6. ↑ "U.S. v. HENLEY". Retrieved 17 February 2016. The Sixth Circuit Court of Appeals characterized the Nation of Washitaw as fictional. Bybee v. City of Paducah, 46 Fed. Appx. 735, 736 (6th Cir. 2002), unpublished. Other federal courts decline to recognize the Washitaw Nation as a legitimate sovereign.
  7. ↑ "United States Attorney's Office". September 17, 2003. Retrieved 17 February 2016.
  8. ↑ Finch, Rob; Flowers, Kory (September 21, 2012). "Sovereign Citizens: A Clear and Present Danger". Police Magazine. Retrieved 17 February 2016.
  9. ↑ Bear, John; Mariah Bear (2002). Bears' guide to earning degrees by distance learning. Ten Speed Press. p. 195. ISBN 978-1-58008-431-4.
  10. ↑ Burgin, Aaron (September 19, 2008). "Lake Elsinore City Council candidate's doctorate from online school accredited by separatists". The Press Enterprise.

External links

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