"A Promise Kept places the blockbuster 2020 U.S. Supreme Court decision of McGirt v. Oklahoma into historical perspective and presents a thorough legal assessment of the court suit, its arguments, and its ramifications. The book will have wide appeal."--Blue Clark, author of Indian Tribes of Oklahoma, A Guide
"A Promise Kept is a must-have for those seeking to understand the full history and legal complexities of Oklahoma and the thirty-nine Indigenous Nations therein, as told from the experiences of the Muscogee (Creek) Nation."--Stacy Leeds (Cherokee Nation), co-author of Mastering American Indian Law, 2nd edition
"The McGirt Supreme Court decision upholding the Muscogee reservation is one of the most important legal victories for tribal sovereignty in this century. But it didn't come out of nowhere. Miller and Ethridge provide the long history and important legal context for readers to understand how we got here: that on the far end of the Trail of Tears a promise was kept."--Rebecca Nagle (Cherokee Nation), journalist and host of This Land podcast
"McGirt v. Oklahoma will shape U.S.-tribal relations for decades to come, but this pivotal court case is often misunderstood and misrepresented. Here, two leading scholars in Native American history and law join forces to explore the origins and potential consequences of the decision. Authoritative and lucid, A Promise Kept is essential reading for anyone interested in the future of Indigenous politics in the United States."--Claudio Saunt, author of Unworthy Republic: The Dispossession of Native Americans and the Road to Indian Territory
"In the landmark McGirt v. Oklahoma (2020) case, the Supreme Court ruled that the Creek Reservation still exists within Oklahoma--a shocking decision. Subsequent decisions added other reservations, leaving 43 percent of Indian Country encompassed within Oklahoma. The convoluted morass leading to the opinion is well documented here, as the authors include the history of the Muscogee (Creek) Nation, cover the pattern of promise breaking by federal and state governments, review the eight diminishment rulings, and closely analyze the decision itself. Oklahoma has petitioned 49 times to have the decision vacated because officials predict disastrous consequences for collecting state revenue, freeing criminals, and placing non-Indian populations in a legal vacuum. Miller and Ethridge review Oklahoma's fears, offering analyses of real consequences, as of 2023, and predictions for the future. When the Muscogee were forced to move, treaties and laws promised they would keep their sovereignty and reservation. McGirt partially redresses failed promises. The authors call for good-faith negotiations to resolve real issues. This is a lucid and highly apt study."--Choice Magazine