Thomas King Acknowledges He Has No Cherokee Ancestry After Genealogical Revie

Cherokee 411 Staff Report

Thomas King, the award-winning author of The Inconvenient Indian and a long-time public figure in Indigenous literature, has announced that professional genealogical research found no evidence of Cherokee ancestry in his family line. For decades, King has publicly identified as Cherokee.

Prominent Canadian author Thomas King has said a genealogist found no evidence of Cherokee ancestry on either side of his family lineage. Photograph: Ulf Andersen/Getty Images

In an essay published this week in The Globe and Mail, King wrote that he recently met with representatives of the Tribal Alliance Against Frauds (TAAF), a North Carolina–based organization that researches and exposes false Indigenous identity claims. According to King, TAAF’s genealogist reviewed his lineage and concluded that neither side of his family has Cherokee ties.

King, now 82, says he accepts the findings.

“I feel as though I’ve been ripped in half,” he wrote. “Not the Indian I had in mind. Not an Indian at all.”

Long-Standing Family Story Disproven

King has said for years that he grew up hearing a story that his biological grandfather was a man named Elvin Hunt, who was believed to have Cherokee ancestry. The newly reviewed records, however, did not support that claim.

King emphasized that he had never sought to deceive anyone, saying he lived his entire adult life believing he was of Cherokee descent.

Awards and Public Recognition

King’s writing career spans more than four decades in Canada, where he taught Indigenous studies and produced work praised for addressing the realities of Indigenous communities. He received the National Aboriginal Achievement Award in 2003 and was named a Companion of the Order of Canada in 2020.

He told The Globe and Mail he intends to return the Indigenous-specific award but will keep other honors tied to his literary work.

Growing Scrutiny of False Indigenous Claims

King is one of several public figures recently confronted with the results of genealogical investigations. The review follows high-profile cases in Canada including allegations surrounding singer Buffy Sainte-Marie—that have sparked broader discussions about identity fraud and the importance of respecting tribal citizenship, community belonging, and verifiable lineage.

For the Cherokee Nation, Eastern Band of Cherokee Indians, and United Keetoowah Band, citizenship remains a matter of tribal sovereignty, based on legal documents, community ties, and the Nation’s own authority not personal belief, family stories, or self-identification.

King Says Transparency Is Necessary

Although he rejected the suggestion that he apologize for his entire life, King acknowledged that withholding the findings would have been misleading.

“If I chose not to say anything,” he wrote, “then an accusation of fraud would have merit.”

He says the revelation has left him shaken but committed to being transparent about his identity moving forward.