Archie Hoffman Dies a Warrior in his Fight for the Cheyenne Tribe's Promised Land

OKLAHOMA CITY, Aug. 1, 2012 /PRNewswire/ -- Archie Doyle Hoffman, Sr., a tribal elder of the Cheyenne and Arapaho who was a leader in the fight to reclaim their tribal land at Fort Reno from the government, died last week. He was 75.

Hoffman, Sr. was born in Clinton, Oklahoma on February 2, 1937 and was known for his practical skills and philanthropy. He represented the Cheyenne and Arapaho tribes and fought for the rights of people on the reservations. One of his biggest struggles was trying to repossess the tribes' land at Fort Reno in El Reno, Oklahoma. Hoffman passed away July 28, 2012 in Oklahoma City, Oklahoma.

The tribe loses a great warrior in their one hundred year-old fight to get back their ancestral lands. The federal government stripped the tribe of their land in the late 1800's, promising to give it back if the U.S. Military no longer utilized it. Over the years, the government has had many opportunities to return the land but continues to fail to do so.

Realizing that a lack of funds meant a lack of support, Hoffman created an underground movement to try to regain the tribe's land. Even with a 62% unemployment rate, the Cheyenne and Arapaho managed to accumulate $100,000 to help plead their case to elected and administrative officials.  The tribe dedicated 2 years of saving money from their main source of income at the Lucky Star Casino.

The tribe's efforts earned them a meeting at the White House with then president Bill Clinton and his campaign staff. When Charles Surveyor, a tribe leader, was asked if he had anything important to say, he began speaking about the poverty, alcoholism and suicide issues occurring at the reservations. Surveyor declared his tribe had been in a crisis and they need their land back at Fort Reno.  According to Hoffman, Clinton said he would see what can be done about the issue. However, to this day, nothing was ever done to help the Cheyenne and Arapaho Tribes. The fight continues to this day

SOURCE Cheyenne & Arapaho Tribe of Oklahoma