Freedmen Trust Files Official Federal Objection to Racial Classification

Today marks a pivotal moment in the fight to protect the identity and lineage of Freedmen in America.

The Freedmen Reparations Fund Trust has officially filed a Declaration of Classification Objection with the U.S. Census Bureau and the Office of Management and Budget (OMB). This declaration challenges the federal government’s continued use of broad racial labels—specifically “Black” or “African American”—to classify people whose ancestry traces directly to U.S. chattel slavery and Emancipation.

The letter affirms that Freedmen are not a racial or ethnic group, but a distinct legal and historical lineage, verified through documented ancestry and protected under private trust law. It asserts our right to define ourselves, outside of imposed racial constructs, and to maintain genealogical integrity for the purpose of reparative justice.

This Trust was not formed to request permission—it was formed to enforce identity, heritage, and future protections. The declaration demands that the federal government recognize Verified Freedmen as a classification based on lineage, not color, and ensure that no future data collections, surveys, or federal programs override our sovereign identity.

Copies of the declaration were sent to:

• The U.S. Census Bureau

• The Office of Management and Budget

• Members of the Tennessee Congressional delegation

• Other relevant government offices and committees

This action also includes a formal request: that our Trust be notified and invited to participate in any future federal discussions, policy working groups, or classification reviews related to race, identity, or data standards.

We are standing on the shoulders of Freedmen who came before us—those who were emancipated but never restored. Today, we draw a legal line in the sand to protect their legacy, and to secure our future on our terms.

The full letter is available for public viewing here