Family, fortune, and the fight for Osage headrights
Aug 16, 2023
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A man fights for his share of an Osage headright inheritance, revealing a dark history of violent crimes against the Osage people. He reconnects with his birth family and decides to give his share back to the tribe.
The Osage headright system grants shares of profits from resources extracted from Osage Nation's land, but the distribution and management of these headrights have been plagued by racist attitudes and injustice.
Fletcher versus the United States is a class-action lawsuit that aims to hold the US government accountable for mismanagement of headright money and lack of transparency, highlighting the ongoing fight for the rights of Native American headright holders.
Deep dives
Richard's Journey to Reconnect with His Birth Family
After discovering his adoption and reconnecting with his birth family, Richard Lonsiger sought a sense of belonging and connection to his heritage. His journey led him to meet his biological grandfather, siblings, and birth mother. However, he faced challenges navigating a distant relationship with his birth family and feeling excluded from his inheritance.
The Battle Over Osage Head Rights
Richard learns about the headright system, which grants shares of profits from resources extracted from Osage Nation's land, such as oil and gas. He delves into the history of the Osage people's wealth and the subsequent reign of terror, where many were killed for their valuable head rights. Richard confronts the racist attitudes that still exist in the management and distribution of headrights.
Fletcher versus the United States: Fighting for Accountability
Richard becomes involved in Fletcher versus the United States, a class-action lawsuit that seeks to hold the US government accountable for the mismanagement of the headright money and lack of transparency. He joins forces with Jason Ahmed, the lawyer leading the lawsuit, to fight for the rights of Native American headright holders and demand an accounting of the trust funds.
When Richard J. Lonsinger's birth mother passed away in 2010, he wasn't included in the distribution of her estate. Feeling hurt and excluded, he asked a judge to re-open her estate, to give him a part of one particular asset: an Osage headright. But the more Lonsinger learned about the history of the headrights, the more he began to wonder who was really entitled to them, and where he fit in.