March 11, 2025: 20th Anniversary of the Land Rights Action

March 11, 2025 marks the 20th anniversary of the filing of the Onondaga Land Rights Case. The Onondaga Nation chose March 11th as the filing date as over 200 years ago, New York State made their first illegal land acquisition of Onondaga lands. New York State knowingly defiled United States law, three treaties, and their own Constitution in order to illegally purchase lands.

Onondaga leadership walking to federal court to file the Land Rights Action, March 11, 2005

For many years, the Onondaga Nation and the State of New York were in government to government negotiations to resolve many issues between the two governments such as; hunting and fishing rights, repatriation of sacred objects, taxes, and the land rights issue. Then in 1997, the State negotiators suddenly halted all negotiations. The State informed the Onondagas it could not continue negotiating these issues unless the Onondaga Nation filed a case against them. The Onondaga had always stated, the 1794 Canandaigua Treaty dictates that we should negotiate our differences as sovereigns, not in a courtroom.

With hesitation, the Onondaga Nation filed its Land Rights Case against the state of New York and the polluters of the sacred Onondaga Lake in federal court. The Case called for a healing between the State of New York and the Onondaga Nation to move to create a healthy environment for our future generations. The case was different from other nation’s “claims” in the courts as Onondaga did not seek the removal of our neighbors from the lands, but the reinstatement of our “rights” to our lands.

Just three weeks later, on March 28, 2005, the Supreme Court handed down its Sherrill decision against the Oneida Nation. The case settled a dispute between the City of Sherrill and the Oneida Nation over jurisdiction of lands re-claimed by the Oneidas. This ruling not only adversely affected the Oneida case, but the Mohawk, Cayuga, and Onondaga cases as well.

Because of the Supreme Court’s Sherrill decision, the Onondaga Nation has never had a chance to prove facts behind its Land Rights Case in any court. Justice Ruth Bader Ginsburg’s opinion that, “The Oneidas long ago relinquished the reins of government…” and the Court reaffirming the “Doctrine of Discovery” as legitimate arguments against Indigenous Nations reclaiming lands affirmed the Onondagas fear of finding justice in the court system.

On August 23, 2010, the Onondaga Lands Rights Case was thrown out of the United States Federal Court. Subsequent appeals by the Onondaga to reverse that action were also denied.

Below are some articles that outline the history of the Onondaga Land Rights Action in the United States Federal Court system.

· 3/10/2005 Onondaga Nation Announces Land Rights Action