Strengthening the Soulaan Status-Based Classification Under Trust Governance

The Freedmen Reparations Fund Trust (FRFT) has finalized an important advancement in lineage protection with the completion of Amendment No. 1 to the Soulaan Status-Based Trademark License Agreement. This amendment reinforces the legal and commercial framework surrounding Soulaan as a verified, status-based classification rooted in autochthonous U.S. lineage.

This development reflects months of careful coordination between FRFT and Dwayne Coleman II — the official Trademark Owner of SOULAAN — whose leadership and stewardship of the classification ensured that its cultural and lineage-based meaning is preserved.

A Protected, Status-Based Classification

Under the notarized agreement and its amendment, Soulaan is recognized as:

• A status-based classification grounded in documented U.S. autochthonous lineage

• Distinct from racial, Pan-African, or diaspora labels

• Not a general or public identity category

• Protected under private trust law

• Governed through a verified lineage standard

This protection is required to prevent misuse, misclassification, and unauthorized appropriation by groups or platforms attempting to collapse lineage-specific classifications into broad racial or political categories.

Commercial Protection Through the New Amendment

The newly executed Commercial Licensing Amendment establishes a governed structure for any commercial, digital, or public-facing use of the Soulaan name, symbol, or classification.

While the full details remain confidential, the amendment ensures:

• All commercial usage must be licensed

• All vendors must operate under a unified approval process

• The Soulaan flag and classification cannot be substituted, distorted, or commercialized without permission

• The FRFT and Trademark Owner must jointly approve all third-party use

• Unauthorized commercial exploitation will trigger immediate enforcement

This amendment positions the Soulaan classification to be protected not only culturally and historically, but also in modern digital and commercial spaces where misuse is common.

A Partnership Rooted in Lineage Integrity

FRFT acknowledges and appreciates Dwayne Coleman’s commitment to ensuring that the Soulaan classification is governed properly, protected legally, and preserved for future generations. Through this partnership:

• Soulaan receives the same high-level lineage protection the Trust provides for the Verified Freedmen status

• Status-based classifications are kept safe from mimic groups

• Commercial misuse and identity dilution are prevented through proactive legal structure

• The classification’s meaning and historical integrity remain intact

What Comes Next

The Trust will now proceed with the next phase of:

• Commercial oversight

• Enforcement measures

• Status-based verification integration

• Approved licensing pathways

• Cultural protection advisories

Additional updates will be shared when appropriate, without revealing confidential legal strategy or internal terms.

FRFT remains committed to safeguarding lineage-based classifications and ensuring that Soulaan’s verified status is protected with the same seriousness as any cultural or intellectual property governed under the Trust.