Why the Freedmen Reparations Fund Trust Is Not Required to Register with the State of Tennessee
- Freedmen Nation
- Jul 17
- 3 min read
Understanding Our Legal Structure: Private Trust, Not Public Charity
As more individuals learn about the work of the Freedmen Reparations Fund Trust (FRFT), questions occasionally arise about why the Trust is not registered with the State of Tennessee or listed as a nonprofit corporation. This blog will clarify why registration is neither required nor appropriate for the FRFT based on Tennessee law and the Trust’s legal status as a private irrevocable trust.
What the Law Says
Under Tennessee Code Annotated (T.C.A.) § 48‑101‑502(1), a “charitable organization” is defined as:
“any person who engages in, or purports to engage in, soliciting contributions for a charitable purpose.”
The law applies only to entities that:
Represent themselves as charitable organizations, and
Solicit tax-deductible donations from the public.
The Freedmen Reparations Fund Trust does not do either.
We do not present ourselves as a charitable organization.
We do not claim donations are tax-deductible.
We operate under private contract law, not public charity law.
Why the Trust Is Not a Nonprofit
Many people are accustomed to dealing with nonprofits, corporations, and limited liability companies that are required to register with the state and file annual reports. That framework, however, does not apply to private trusts like FRFT.
The FRFT is not a 501(c)(3) entity. We are not a public benefit corporation. We are not organized for commercial gain or to raise tax-deductible contributions. We are a private, non-commercial entity governed by its Trust Instrument, protected under federal and state trust law, not subject to state charity registration statutes.
Not Subject to the Charitable Solicitations Act
Because FRFT does not fall within the legal definition of a “charitable organization” under the Tennessee Charitable Solicitations Act, we are exempt from any requirement to register with the Tennessee Secretary of State or Attorney General for charitable oversight.
Our terms of service, website disclaimers, and donation notices all make it clear:
“Contributions to the Freedmen Reparations Fund Trust are private and are not tax-deductible.”
There is no ambiguity. The Trust is not soliciting charitable donations under the law, and therefore, the law does not apply.
Maintaining Privacy and Autonomy
This structure is intentional. The Freedmen Reparations Fund Trust was established to serve a specific, defined population—Verified Freedmen—and to operate outside of the constraints and vulnerabilities of government-regulated charitable systems. This is especially important in our historical context, where Freedmen have repeatedly been misrepresented, misclassified, and excluded from federal and state frameworks.
By operating as a private irrevocable trust, we:
Protect the privacy of our Beneficiaries,
Shield the Trust’s assets and operations from unnecessary state interference, and
Preserve full self-governance over our reparations model.
In Summary
The Freedmen Reparations Fund Trust is:
Not a charity under Tennessee law
Not a 501(c)(3)
Not required to register with the state
Not soliciting tax-deductible donations
Not subject to the Tennessee Charitable Solicitations Act
This is a private trust with a public mission—to serve Verified Freedmen, enforce cultural protections, and deliver reparative justice through legal autonomy and private governance.
If you have questions about our structure or wish to support our work, visit https://www.freedmennation/about.org to learn more or to make a non-tax-deductible contribution in support of our Verified Freedmen population.
Trust-administered. Rights-reserved. Jurisdiction-defined.
The Freedmen Reparations Fund Trust operates under exclusive authority and is not subject to the regulatory frameworks governing corporate or charitable entities.
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