November is Native American Heritage Month, a time to honor the rich and complex history of Indigenous tribes in the Tennessee River Valley. The lives of Native American leaders from this region are marked by stories of drama, tragedy, and triumph.

NORRIS, Tenn., Nov. 9, 2024 /PRNewswire-PRWeb/ -- The Tennessee River Valley has long been home to numerous Indigenous leaders who made significant contributions to American history. Although often overlooked in mainstream history books, these figures played crucial roles in pivotal events within the region, which served as a backdrop for the emerging nation's political conflicts, westward expansion, and the fight for Indigenous sovereignty.

This year marks 34 years since the United States first designated November as a month to honor Indigenous history. In 1990, President George H.W. Bush established National American Indian Heritage Month. Since then, annual proclamations—titled "Native American Heritage Month" and "National American Indian and Alaska Native Heritage Month"—have continued each year, supported by organizations like the Library of Congress, the National Endowment for the Humanities, and the National Park Service.

Understanding Native American history in this region involves recognizing the legacy of leaders like Dragging Canoe, Nancy Ward, Sequoyah, Chief Tishomingo, Tsali, and John Ross. These leaders witnessed the incursion of their lands by British, French, and Spanish colonial forces. Rising tensions over land between Indigenous peoples and colonizers eventually culminated in the Trail of Tears, one of the most tragic chapters in American history.

In the late autumn of 1838, about 10,000 Cherokee were transported across the Tennessee River in nine detachments from September through November. The northern route, which included Blythe's Ferry, was one of several routes taken during this forced journey from their ancestral homelands in the southeastern United States to the Indian Territory, now part of Oklahoma.

This forced relocation resulted from the Indian Removal Act of 1830, which led to the displacement of thousands of Native Americans. Today, Blythe's Ferry, near present-day Dayton, Tennessee, stands as a site of remembrance for the suffering endured by the Cherokee and other tribes during this harrowing journey. The Trail of Tears National Historic Trail commemorates these events and preserves the memory of the difficult passage faced by the Cherokee people.

John Ross's Ferry, also known as Ross's Landing, was another significant crossing on the Trail of Tears. Named after the influential Cherokee leader John Ross, this ferry site was located in present-day Chattanooga, Tennessee, along the Tennessee River. Ross's Landing served as a departure point for many Cherokee who were forcibly removed in 1838.

John Ross, of Cherokee and Scottish descent, was a prominent figure who fiercely opposed the forced relocation, taking his fight to the U.S. Supreme Court. Despite his efforts, he could not prevent the removal. Ironically, Ross's own property and the ferry that bore his name became part of the route for the Cherokee during their forced march westward.

Today, the Trail of Tears Commemorative Park at Ross's Landing in Chattanooga memorializes this history, serving as a reminder of the hardships faced by the Cherokee and other Indigenous nations during this dark chapter in American history.

The Tennessee River Valley hosts several sites dedicated to remembering the contributions and struggles of Native American leaders. Here are just a few notable locations to explore the heritage of Indigenous people in Southern Appalachia:

• Sequoyah Birthplace Museum – Vonore, TN
• Cherokee Removal Memorial Park at Historic Blythe Ferry – Birchwood, TN
• Nancy Ward Gravesite – Polk County, TN
• The Passage at Ross Landing – Chattanooga, TN
• Chief Vann House- Chatsworth, GA
• John Ross House – Rossville, GA
• Rhodes Ferry Park – Decatur, AL
• Trail of Tears Interpretive Center – Pulaski, TN

The Tennessee River Valley Stewardship Council, a 501 c3 nonprofit, serves as the steering committee and editorial board for the Geotourism MapGuide website. It is comprised of volunteers from a seven state region. The Council's efforts are made possible through the generous support of the Tennessee Valley Authority (TVA).

Media Contact

Julie Graham, TRV Stewardship Council, 8655850811, exploretrv@gmail.com, https://www.trvstewardshipcouncil.org/mission/

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SOURCE TRV Stewardship Council