Chuck Hoskin Jr. facts for kids
Quick facts for kids
Chuck Hoskin Jr.
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Hoskin speaking in 2019
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| 8th Principal Chief of the Cherokee Nation | |
| Assumed office August 14, 2019 |
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| Deputy | Bryan Warner |
| Preceded by | Bill John Baker |
| Member of the Cherokee Nation Tribal Council | |
| In office August 14, 2013 – August 21, 2013 |
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| Preceded by | Redistricting |
| Succeeded by | Victoria Vazquez |
| Constituency | 11th district |
| In office August 14, 2007 – August 14, 2013 |
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| Preceded by | Chuck Hoskin Sr. |
| Succeeded by | Redistricting |
| Constituency | 9th district |
| Personal details | |
| Born | February 7, 1975 |
| Nationality | Cherokee Nation United States |
| Political party | Democratic |
| Relatives | Chuck Hoskin Sr. (father) |
| Education | University of Oklahoma (BA, JD) |
Chuck Hoskin Jr. (born February 7, 1975) is an American lawyer and politician. He is the current Principal Chief of the Cherokee Nation, which is the highest leadership role for the tribe. He began his first term in 2019 and was re-elected for a second term in 2023.
Before becoming Principal Chief, Hoskin served the Cherokee Nation in other important roles. He was a member of the Tribal Council from 2007 to 2013 and was the Secretary of State for the Cherokee Nation from 2013 to 2019.
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Early Life and Schooling
Chuck Hoskin Jr. was born on February 7, 1975. His father, Chuck Hoskin Sr., was also involved in Cherokee politics. Hoskin Jr. grew up in Oklahoma and graduated from Vinita High School in 1993.
After high school, he went to the University of Oklahoma. He earned a Bachelor of Arts degree in 1997. He continued his studies at the University of Oklahoma College of Law and graduated with a Juris Doctor degree, which is a degree for lawyers, in 2000.
Hoskin has spoken about learning the full history of his tribe as an adult. He said that when he was young, he was not taught that some Cherokee people owned slaves or that the tribe sided with the Confederate States of America during the American Civil War. He believes that the descendants of these enslaved people, known as Freedmen, have a right to be citizens of the Cherokee Nation because of treaties signed long ago.
Beginning His Career
In 1999, Hoskin helped write the Cherokee Nation's constitution as a delegate at a special meeting. Before being elected to office, he worked for the National Labor Relations Board, a U.S. government agency that protects workers' rights.
In 2007, Hoskin decided to run for the Cherokee Tribal Council. The Tribal Council is like a small government that makes laws for the Cherokee Nation. His father had been the council member for District 9 but chose not to run again. Hoskin won the election with 69% of the vote and started his term on August 14, 2007.
Due to his legal background, Hoskin helped Bill John Baker during the 2011 election for Principal Chief. In 2012, he was chosen as the deputy speaker of the Tribal Council. He ran for his council seat again in 2013 and won without any opponents.
Serving as Secretary of State
In August 2013, Principal Chief Bill John Baker asked Hoskin to become the Cherokee Nation's Secretary of State. This important job involves working with other governments and managing official records. Hoskin accepted and left his Tribal Council seat. He was reconfirmed for the role in 2016.
Leading as Principal Chief
In 2019, Chuck Hoskin Jr. decided to run for the highest office in the Cherokee Nation: Principal Chief. He won the election on June 1, 2019, with 57% of the vote.
Taking Action for the Cherokee People
Even before he officially started, Hoskin announced a plan to spend $30 million to fix homes for Cherokee citizens. A week before his inauguration, he surprised Cherokee Nation government employees by raising the minimum wage to $11 per hour. He also encouraged the tribe's businesses to do the same.
Hoskin was sworn in as Principal Chief on August 14, 2019, along with Deputy Principal Chief Bryan Warner.
A Delegate for Congress
One of Hoskin's major goals was to have the Cherokee Nation send a delegate to the U.S. Congress. He said this right was promised in treaties from 1785 and 1835. He chose Kim Teehee, a respected government relations expert, for this historic role.
Supporting Veterans
Hoskin and Warner also created a new government position: the Secretary of Veterans Affairs. This role focuses on helping Cherokee citizens who have served in the military. Hoskin nominated former Deputy Principal Chief Joe Crittenden, a Navy veteran, to be the first person in this job.
Re-election in 2023
Hoskin ran for re-election in 2023 and won easily in the first round of voting. Because of term limits, he cannot run for Principal Chief again until 2031.
Relationship with Oklahoma's Governor
As Principal Chief, Hoskin has had disagreements with Oklahoma's Governor, Kevin Stitt. A major point of conflict was the McGirt v. Oklahoma Supreme Court decision. This ruling confirmed that a large part of eastern Oklahoma is still Native American reservation land for legal purposes. Hoskin said the governor was wrong to claim this decision created "chaos."
After the U.S. Supreme Court made a different ruling in a case called Oklahoma v. Castro-Huerta, Hoskin said the decision was a "betrayal" to the tribes in Oklahoma. In the 2022 election for Oklahoma's governor, Hoskin supported Governor Stitt's opponent, Joy Hofmeister.
Personal Life
Chuck Hoskin Jr. lives in Vinita, Oklahoma, with his wife, January, and their two children. He is a member of both the Cherokee Nation and Oklahoma Bar Associations, which are groups for lawyers. He is also a member of the Democratic Party.
