This Land

Crooked Media

The award-winning documentary podcast This Land is back for season 2. Host Rebecca Nagle reports on how the far right is using Native children to attack American Indian tribes and advance a conservative agenda. read less

Our Editor's Take

This Land podcast investigates stories that discuss the history of Native American rights. It's an award-winning documentary show hosted by journalist Rebecca Nagle. She's also a citizen of Cherokee Nation, the largest Native American tribe in the US.

The first season of the This Land podcast starts with the murder of George Jacobs. The courts found Patrick Murphy guilty and sentenced him to death in Oklahoma in 1999. Yet, this story isn't about the murder itself. This story is about where it happened and why it became a fight over property and land ownership.

Upon Patrick's appeal, a lawyer discovered a rusty cross that marked where George died. The cross also proved that the police had the wrong crime scene. This detail mattered for an important reason. George and Patrick were part of the Native American tribe, Muscogee Creek Nation. If the murder happened here, Oklahoma didn't have the right to prosecute Patrick or put him on death row. Rebecca starts by visiting the location where her ancestors lived and died. As someone frustrated by people ignoring her ancestors, this story was important to her. The final This Land podcast episodes of that season share the historic decision made by the US Supreme Court.

Following on from this compelling story is season two of This Land. This series is about a law that prevented the removal of Native American children. At the story's center is a white couple who sue against this law to adopt a Navajo and Cherokee toddler. Rebecca hosts this season, too, with a team of investigators exploring a single case for a year. It opens up a history of family separation with far-reaching consequences. That season also ends with an important Supreme Court decision.

This Land explores cases with lasting impacts on Native American tribes. Every season is a ten-part series, sharing the details and facts of these issues.

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Society & CultureSociety & Culture

Episodes

5. Pro Bono
Sep 13 2021
5. Pro Bono
The fight against the Indian Child Welfare Act is much bigger than a few custody cases, or even the entire adoption industry. We follow the money, and our investigation leads us to a powerful group of corporate lawyers and one of the biggest law firms in the country. Show NotesThis Land website https://crooked.com/podcast-series/this-land/Resources For Survivors https://crooked.com/resources-for-survivors/Resources For Journalists & Investigators https://crooked.com/resources-for-journalists-investigators/Have a tip? Share it with our reporting team via SecureDrop https://criticalfrequency.org/securedrop/Mashpee Wampanoag face double crisis: COVID-19 and feds https://indiancountrytoday.com/news/mashpee-wampanoag-face-double-crisis-covid-19-and-fedsInterior takes reservation away from Mashpee Wampanoag Tribe https://indiancountrytoday.com/news/interior-takes-reservation-away-from-mashpee-wampanoag-tribeMashpee Wampanoag ruling a 'win for all of Indian Country' https://indiancountrytoday.com/news/mashpee-wampanoag-ruling-a-win-for-all-of-indian-countryThe Fight for Baby Veronica, Part 1 https://indiancountrytoday.com/archive/the-fight-for-baby-veronica-part-1The Fight for Baby Veronica, Part 2 https://indiancountrytoday.com/archive/the-fight-for-baby-veronica-part-2The Fight for Baby Veronica, Part 3 https://indiancountrytoday.com/archive/the-fight-for-baby-veronica-part-3The Fight for Baby Veronica, Part 4 https://indiancountrytoday.com/archive/the-fight-for-baby-veronica-part-4The Fight for Baby Veronica, Part 5 https://indiancountrytoday.com/archive/the-fight-for-baby-veronica-part-5Supreme Court Takes on Indian Child Welfare Act in Baby Veronica Case https://indiancountrytoday.com/archive/supreme-court-takes-on-indian-child-welfare-act-in-baby-veronica-caseFor a transcript of this episode, please visit crooked.com/thisland.
1. Solomon’s Sword
Aug 23 2021
1. Solomon’s Sword
ALM – as referred to in court documents – is a Navajo and Cherokee toddler. When he was a baby, a white couple from the suburbs of Dallas wanted to adopt him, but a federal law said they couldn’t. So they sued.Show Notes:This Land website https://crooked.com/podcast-series/this-land/Resources For Survivors https://crooked.com/resources-for-survivors/Resources For Journalists & Investigators https://crooked.com/resources-for-journalists-investigators/Have a tip? Share it with our reporting team via SecureDrop https://criticalfrequency.org/securedrop/Jennifer Brackeen’s Personal Blog https://web.archive.org/web/20201221201802/https://thebrackeens.blogspot.com/"An Untold Number Of Indigenous Children Disappeared At U.S. Boarding Schools. Tribal Nations Are Raising The Stakes In Search Of Answers." https://theintercept.com/2018/09/25/carlisle-indian-industrial-school-indigenous-children-disappeared/"My Relatives Went To A Catholic School For Native Children. It Was A Place Of Horrors" https://www.theguardian.com/commentisfree/2021/jun/30/my-relatives-went-to-a-catholic-school-for-native-children-it-was-a-place-of-horrors"Indigenous Children Finally Headed Home" https://indiancountrytoday.com/news/indigenous-children-officially-headed-home"Indian Boarding School Investigation Faces Hurdles In Missing Records, Legal Questions" https://www.nbcnews.com/news/us-news/indian-boarding-school-investigation-faces-hurdles-missing-records-legal-questions-n1273996"U.S. Boarding Schools To Be Investigated" https://indiancountrytoday.com/news/us-boarding-schools-to-be-investigatedFor a transcript of this episode, please visit crooked.com/thisland.