Thomas King, the acclaimed Canadian-American author known for his work on Indigenous issues, has announced that a genealogist found no evidence of Cherokee ancestry in his family lineage. In an essay published Monday in Canada's Globe and Mail, King said he had been aware of rumours questioning his heritage and met with the Tribal Alliance Against Frauds (Taaf) in mid-November. The genealogist working with Taaf told King she found no Cherokee ancestry on either side of his family.
King, 82, wrote that he accepts the findings and described feeling 'ripped in half.' He said he had long believed his biological grandfather, Elvin Hunt, had Cherokee ancestry, but the genealogist found no evidence to support this. King has lived in Canada since 1980 and taught Indigenous studies at the University of Lethbridge. His work includes the award-winning book The Inconvenient Indian and he was promoted to companion of the Order of Canada in 2020.
In an interview with the Globe and Mail, King said he intends to return the National Aboriginal Achievement award he received in 2003, but will keep other awards based on his writing. He said he never intentionally misled people and genuinely believed he had Cherokee ancestry. King noted that Taaf suggested he apologise, but he does not think that is appropriate as he acted in the belief that he was mixed-blood Cherokee. However, he acknowledged that withholding the evidence would make an accusation of fraud valid.
