CRBC News
Culture
Society
Security
Health
Conflict
Science
Technology
Politics
Environment
Lifestyle
Economy

Thomas King: Genealogist Finds No Cherokee Ancestry — Author to Return Indigenous Award

Thomas King, the celebrated author and academic, says genealogical research found no evidence of Cherokee ancestry in his family. After meeting with members of the Tribal Alliance Against Frauds and a genealogist, King accepted the findings and plans to return a National Aboriginal Achievement award he received in 2003. He says he never intentionally misled anyone but acknowledges that knowingly withholding contrary evidence could constitute fraud.

01:58 PM, 11/25/2025Culture
Thomas King: Genealogist Finds No Cherokee Ancestry — Author to Return Indigenous Award

Prominent author, academic and activist Thomas King has announced that genealogical research has produced no evidence of Cherokee ancestry in his family. The finding follows a meeting he held with members of the Tribal Alliance Against Frauds (Taaf), a North Carolina group that investigates alleged Indigenous identity fraud, and the genealogist working with them.

King, 82, described the discovery as deeply unsettling. In an essay he said he felt 'ripped in half, a one-legged man in a two-legged story.' He added that the news has forced him to reconsider the heritage story he grew up with and to take concrete steps: he intends to return a National Aboriginal Achievement award he received in 2003.

Born in California, King moved to Canada in 1980 to teach Indigenous studies at the University of Lethbridge. He rose to national prominence through fiction, essays and public engagement that explored Indigenous history, culture and contemporary issues. His books include The Inconvenient Indian; he received the RBC Taylor Prize for non-fiction in 2014, the Stephen Leacock Memorial Medal for Humour in 2020, and was appointed a Companion of the Order of Canada in 2020.

For years King said family lore suggested his father was not his biological father and that his grandfather, Elvin Hunt, might have had Cherokee ancestry. The genealogist associated with Taaf reported finding no substantiating records of Cherokee lineage on either side of his family tree, and King says he accepts those findings.

King has emphasized that he never intentionally misled people and had long believed himself to be of mixed Cherokee descent. He wrote that Taaf suggested he consider offering 'an apology for my life,' but he argued an apology implies wrongdoing. Still, he acknowledged that if he had knowingly withheld evidence contradicting his claimed ancestry, an accusation of fraud would have merit.

The controversy comes amid wider public scrutiny of ancestry claims by several public figures. King’s announcement has prompted renewed public discussion about identity, family history, and the responsibilities of prominent cultural figures when asserting Indigenous heritage.

Key facts:
- Genealogist working with Taaf found no evidence of Cherokee ancestry in King’s family.
- King accepts the findings and plans to return a 2003 National Aboriginal Achievement award.
- He maintains he never intentionally misrepresented his background but recognizes the ethical implications if he had knowingly concealed contrary evidence.

Similar Articles

Trending