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Question: How can I prove that I have Native American ancestry if I don't have any written records at hand!?
This is due to the fact that as an African American my records go only as far back to the very end of slavery!.Www@QuestionHome@Com


Best Answer - Chosen by Asker:
This depends on what you are trying to achieve!. If you are trying to enroll in a tribe and you have no proven NA ancestry since 1865, you're out of luck!.

If you're trying to see what, if any, NA ancestry you have in general, a DNA admixture test may be able to help you, although it can't give you specifics!.

Lastly, don't presume "my records go only as far back to the very end of slavery"!. Records do exist of slaves, and not all African-Americans were slaves prior to 1865!. It is difficult research, but it can be possible to get a generation or two into slave ancestors!. Don't give up before you even start!.Www@QuestionHome@Com

First of all you need to know which tribe your ancestors were registered in!.

Then you will need birth, death and marriages certificates to prove that person is your lineal ancestor!.

You will also have to contact the tribe and find out their enrolment requirements and procedures!.
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How Do I Trace Indian Ancestry!?
http://www!.doi!.gov/ancestry!.html

Indian Ancestry - Enrollment in a Federally Recognized Tribe

Two common requirements for membership are:
- lineal decendency from someone named on the tribe's base roll
- or relationship to a tribal member who descended from someone named on the base roll!.

(A "base roll" is the original list of members as designated in a tribal constitution or other document specifying enrollment criteria!.)

Other conditions
- tribal blood quantum,
- tribal residency,
- or continued contact with the tribe

Enrollment in a Federally Recognized Tribe
http://www!.doi!.gov/enrollment!.html
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GUIDELINES - Certificate of Degree of Indian Blood (CDIB)

A CDIB is an official document that certifies an individual possesses a specific degree of Indian blood of a federally recognized Indian tribe!.

You are eligible to receive a CDIB if your name or the name of your lineal ancestor appears as an Indian by blood on a base roll of a federally recognized Indian tribe!.

Lineal ancestor means a direct ancestor, such as a parent, grandparent or great grandparent!. Your degree of Indian blood is computed from the Indian blood degree of your lineal ancestors!. Lineal ancestry and blood degree are based on birth parentage!.

Department of the Interior - Bureau of Indian Affairs
Proposed rule: Certificate of Degree of Indian or Alaska Native Blood
http://www!.thepeoplespaths!.net/govlaw/BI!.!.!.
!.Www@QuestionHome@Com

Well the end of slavery happened about 140 years ago!. Assuming one of your ancestors from back then was full-blood, you would be less than 1/4 blood, too little to register with a tribe (unless you cheat like the Cherokee)!.

If you happen to know what tribe your ancestor was, there's a chance that could be traced down through their tribal census office!.

Remember, you would need to know the tribe! Dawes roll ain't going to tell you about all tribes!. Too funny!Www@QuestionHome@Com

If you had a more recent ancestor who happened to be on such rosters as the Dawes rolls (or shows up in census as Ind!.), you might!. If the connection is prior to 1870, there will not be a record!.
As mentioned above, DNA testing would pick it up!.!. but it will not tell you who or when!. Just a percentage!. Www@QuestionHome@Com

i say if you dance and it rains you definetly have some american indan in you :) Its a proven fact!. Www@QuestionHome@Com

possibly a blood testWww@QuestionHome@Com

DNA test can show that Www@QuestionHome@Com

DNA
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