Tulsa councilors give ‘Key to the City’ to Chief Red Eagle

Osage Nation Principal Chief John Red Eagle was presented with a “Key to the City” by members of the Tulsa City Council July 17 as part of a series of meetings with area tribal leaders aimed at improving communication between the tribes and the City of Tulsa.

Tulsa councilors already met with Cherokee Nation Principal Chief Bill John Baker and Muscogee Creek Nation Principal Chief George Tiger. The meetings were open to the public.

“We are very appreciative that the Tulsa City Council reached out to us to strengthen the lines of communication between the Osage Nation and the City of Tulsa,” Red Eagle said in a prepared release. “The Osage Reservation and Tulsa share boundaries, and it is important that we work together to pave a path to a brighter future.”

Councilors Jack Henderson, Jeannie Cue, Karen Gilbert, Byron “Skip” Steele and G.T. Bynum attended the meeting, according to the release. 

“Many of us agreed it was time for the City of Tulsa to turn the page on its relationship with the Osage Nation - to begin an era of collaboration and better communication,” Bynum said.  “This meeting was a great opportunity to begin that new relationship.”  

Bynum continued by expressing how productive the meeting was for the future of all parties in developing this relationship.

“We had a very positive discussion, and I am thankful to Chief John Red Eagle for the tremendous leadership he showed by accepting the hand of friendship when it was extended,” Bynum said.  “We look forward to what the future holds for the City of Tulsa and the Osage Nation.”

According to the 2010 U.S. Census, 5.3 percent - or 20,771 - of Tulsa's population of 391,906 is of either American Indian or Alaska Native descent.