It was 175-years ago today that the Trail of Tears came to an end for the Cherokee Nation. The last group of Cherokees arrived in, what is now, Oklahoma on March 24, 1839.
Forced from their homelands in the south east U.S, they walked the 1,000 miles to the present day Tahlequah area. 4,000 Cherokees died on the way.
Principal Chief Bill John Baker marked the day, by talking about the trials faced by the tribal ancestors.
http://youtu.be/rN1eiQbOCQY
Chief Bill John Baker says tribal members feel a sense of pride from the Trail of Tears. He says that, despite the trials and tribulations, Cherokee ancestors survived and the tribe has thrived.
Baker and other Cherokee Nation officials marked the day with an event at the Cherokee Heritage Center where a painting by artist Dorothy Sullivan was unveiled.
Sullivan has created a series of paintings depicting the forced relocation.
From today forward, every March 24th will be commemorated, in the Cherokee Nation, as the day of arrival and survival.