National Trail of Tears Commemoration Day 2023: Date, History, Facts about First Americans

National Trail of Tears Commemoration Day, observed on September 16, is as tragic as its name suggests. It commemorates an atrocious historical event in which Cherokees and other Native Americans were expelled from their residences and sent to live in a government-designated region. During this on-foot voyage, many people perished in a horrifying manner, which their predecessors still recall to this day. Therefore, the day prevents us from forgetting all those who suffered during that gloomy period in American history.

The background of National Trail of Tears Commemoration Day

National Trail of Tears Commemoration Day marks the bloodshed experienced by the Native Americans forced to leave their land. It all began on May 28, 1830, when President Andrew Jackson signed the Indian Removal Act into law. The intent of the act was to grant the president the authority to exchange Indian land for land west of the Mississippi. Some tribes, weary of fighting, resolved to leave in peace, whereas others resisted. They did not wish to relocate from their current location.

The resistance resulted in negotiations that became a recipe for disaster, in large part because the government was unable to reach an agreement with the Cherokee tribe. Instead, Major Ridge, John Ridge, Elias Boudinot, and Andrew Ross authorised a forceful action on behalf of the tribe.

By 1836, the State of Georgia had restricted Cherokee liberties, leaving them with few resources for a peaceful existence. In 1837, the drive to expel the tribe began, resulting in bloodshed. Due to the government’s hasty departure, they had no time to prepare for the journey. 18,000 Cherokees and many thousands of other Native Americans perished of hunger and exhaustion while walking to their deaths. In concentration camps, children, men, and women were also held under inhumane conditions. It is said that no one over the age of 60 or under the age of six survived the outbreak of disease. The purpose of the “Trail of Tears Walk” is to commemorate this terrible calamity.

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