Newsletter of the Trail of Tears National Historic Trail Partnership • September 2018 – Number 30 Trail of Tears Association Holds First Weekend Conference Becky Hobbs to Perform at Outdoor Concert Near Host Hotel & Much More Saturday also includes a tour for participating youth about a graduate degree in public history at the University of North Alabama campus hosted by Dr. Jeff Bibbee Chair of the History Dept. Cherokee citizens in the North AL area, and those attending the Conference, are invited The 23rd Annual Trail of Tears Association Conference & Symposium, scheduled to meet with Cherokee Nation Secretary for October 26 – 28, 2018, at the Doubletree Hotel in Decatur, Alabama will be of State Chuck Hoskin, Jr., and his staff at the first TOTA conference held over a weekend. the hotel following the lunch in Spring Park, Tuscumbia. Conference registrants enjoy a special group rate at the Doubletree Hotel for reservation made before September 27th (or until the room block is full). A short stop at Historic Courtland, AL Ask for the Trail of Tears Conference room block by dialing (256) 355-3150. where an amazing number of ante-bellum Online registration for the conference, or a downloadable form are available at structures are preserved is planned during nationalTOTA.org. A Tentative Conf. schedule is also available at the website. the return trip. And, there is also a conference registration form included in this newsletter which can be mailed. ALABAMA BICENTENIAL EVENT & NATIONAL TRAIL The Alabama Bicentennial Commission has made this year’s conference SYSTEM 50TH ANNIVERSARY an Official Bicentennial Event. The Conference also coincides with the 50th COMMEMORATION anniversary of the National Trails System and is an official part of that celebration as well. Because it is part of these commemorations this year some conference activities will be open to the public. More information on the 50th Anniversary can be found at trails50.org, which includes the TOTA conference on its event map. The TOTA board will convene at the Doubletree Hotel on Friday morning. The Conference officially begins when the registration tables open at 4:00 pm and hotel check-in begins. A barbeque at 5 p.m. in Rhodes Ferry Park, a short walk from the hotel, is the first official event. Following dinner conference registrants can enjoy a Decatur Walking Tour hosted by Muscles Shoals National Heritage Saturday evening events commemorate Area. Experts in local history will staff the several historic sites and witness Alabama’s Bicentennial and the 50th structures. anniversary of the National Trails System. Food trucks offering a wide and rather LAST CHANCE TO BECOME A CHARTER MEMBER OF exotic variety will be available near Daikin THE PHOENIX GIVING SOCIETY Amphitheater in Founders Park in downtown Decatur. The first evening ends with a reception for donors at the hotel hosted by the Phoenix Society of TOTA. Local dignitaries including Decatur Mayor The Phoenix Giving Society is a group within the Trail of Tears Tab Bowling and will be on hand to say Association formed to collect donations for Association projects. The a few words. Aaron Mahr of the National current emphasis is to raise funds for trail signage. The first year of Park Service, and charter membership is due to expire at the conference. If you’d like Cherokee Nation to become a charter member of the Phoenix Society, be sure to do Secretary of State so before the end of the conference. Learn more about the Phoenix Chuck Hoskin, Jr. Society on page 18. will make remarks. Following good TOUR OF HISTORIC TUSCUMBIA LANDING IN words from the SHEFFIELD, AL officials, Cherokee citizen Becky Saturday will include a field trip to Spring Park in Tuscumbia, AL and a trip by Entertainer Becky Hobbs from the Hobbs and her trolley to Tuscumbia Landing, in nearby Sheffield, AL. Archaeologists will be on Cherokee Musical Nanyehi-Beloved band will perform. hand to discuss the site. Special arrangements have been made for those with Woman of the Cherokee Becky will share mobility challenges to hear a special presentation by John McWilliams entitled selections from her musical Nanyehi – “The Story of Tuscumbia Landing,” which will include images from the site as an Beloved Woman of the Cherokee, perform alternative to the challenge of walking about the yet undeveloped site. Lunch will hymns in the Cherokee language, and hits be sponsored by Muscle Shoals National Heritage Area and hosted by the Oka Kapassa Festival Board and will include a welcome by Tuscumbia Mayor Kerry she has written for herself and others. Underwood and remarks from Cherokee Nation Sec. of State Chuck Hoskin, Jr. (continued on page 3) 2 Trail of Tears National Historic Trail News • September 2018 The evening will conclude with a screening of the Missouri Humanities Council film of the Snelson Brinker Cabin and Cherokee Removal (see page 4 for more information UPCOMING TOTA EVENTS on this film). Trails50 or Alabama200 Table Decoration Competition. September 23rd, 2018 Tennessee Chapter Membership Meeting 1st, 2nd, and 3rd place prizes will be awarded for the exhibitor tables with the best 1:30pm - Red Clay State Park, TN theme. Competitors can pick either or both theme(s) and decorate to celebrate. Table decoration winners will be presented with a prize at Sunday’s lunch. African American Experience During the Removal Dr. Daniel Littlefield 3pm - Red Clay State Park, TN SCHOLARLY LECTURES ON SUNDAY BEGIN WITH TALKS ABOUT MISSSIONARIES September 29th, 2018 Sunday morning presentations include Laurie Brockman and Larry Smith (Mission NC Chapter TOTA Membership Meeting Schools in North Alabama) and Mike Wren (The Methodists and the Cherokee in 11am - Mission Farms Alabama). At lunch time Claudio Saunt will lecture on (Financing Indian Removal); Murphy, NC Session speakers include Chris Haveman (Creek Removal); James Pate (Cherokee Newspapers; Chickamauga Cherokees). Also presenting are); Ben Hoksbergen October 20th, 2018 (Archaeology on Redstone Arsenal);; Sharon Freeman (Alabama Removal Forts); Oklahoma Chapter Grave Marking Ceremony Chris Dunn (Using GIS Technology and Mapping for Trail of Tears Routes); Monty Dobson (Missouri Humanities Council Film – Snelson Brinker Cabin and Cherokee 2pm - Hungry Mountain Cemetery Removal – Q & A); and Yvette Collins (The Role of the Horse During Removal). Hwy 100 West of Stilwell, OK reports from TOTA chapters and the National Park Service October 24th, 2018 - - - POST CONFERENCE EVENTS - - - MO Humanities Council Annual Awards 6pm - MO History Museum GENEALOGY WORKSHOP HOSTED BY AL CHAPTER St. Louis, MO On Monday, October 29th, following the conference, a genealogy workshop will be October 26th-28th, 2018* hosted by the Alabama Chapter from 9:00 – 11:00 a.m. Registration at the door will 23rd Annual Trail of Tears Conf. & Symposium be $10. One-on-one sessions with Cherokee genealogists will be made available by Doubletree Hotel & Convention Center appointment from 11:30 – 4:00 p.m., for a $25 fee. These individual sessions require Decatur, AL gathering information and completing questionnaire beforehand. Info will be available at the TOTA website. See related schedule with descriptions on page 15. October 26th, 2018 SIGN DEDICATION HOSTED BY NC CHAPTER Missouri Chapter Meeting 4pm - Doubletree Hotel The NC Chapter will host a sign dedication on Tuesday afternoon Oct. 30 at 3 p.m ET. Decatur, AL The event will be at Wesser, on Hwy 19 at the Nantahala Outdoor Center campus, near Bryson City, NC. October 29th, 2018 Post-Conference Special Events TOTA Secretary Patsy Edgar at large community Genealogy Workshop recognized as Cherokee Elder organization across (Sponsored by the AL TOTA Chapter) the US. Doubletree Hotel The recognition as a Decatur, AL Cherokee Elder was (For more information turn to page 10) also in recognition of Patsy’s long time October 29th, 2018 service as a member Sign Dedication of the Cherokee North Carolina TOTA Chapter National Historical 3pm - Nantahala Outdoor Center Campus Society Board of (Near Bryson City, NC) Directors. Cherokee Nation Sec. of November 10th, 2018 State Chuck Hoskin L-R-Cherokee Nation Sec. of State Chuck Hoskin, Jr, Patsy “Removal, Those Who Did Not Go” Jr. presented the Presented by Anita Finger-Smith Edgar, Tommy Wildcat award in Atlanta on Founding President of the Georgia Time - Venue June 9th at at the Waleska, GA Chapter and longtime TOTA National initial meeting of the Board member Patsy Edgar was Georgia At-Large surprised with recognition of her service Community group. as a member of the start up board for the Cherokee Nation Community Patsy Edgar and her husband John live in on the banks of the Chestatee River near Dahlonegah in the old Cherokee *Special Conference Pull-Out Pages 9-12 Associations which governs the Cherokee homelands of north GA. Event Dates are Subject to change. September 2018 • Trail of Tears National Historic Trail News 3 Missouri Chapter to receive Missouri Humanities Council’s The Steelville City Park & Partnership Award for 2018 Recreation Area Become A Dr. William ‘Bill’ Ambrose & Deloris Gray Wood Certified Site The Missouri Chapter of the The Steelville City Park and Recreation Trail of Tears Association Area officially became a certified site (MoTOTA) has been selected to along the Trail of Tears National Historic receive the Missouri Humanities Trail by the National Park Service on Council’s 2018 Partnership in the June 2, 2018. A certification ceremony, Humanities Award. The MoTOTA planned and led by Missouri Chapter has worked closely with the Missouri Humanities Council (MHC) and Executive President Deloris Gray Wood, took Director Steve Belko over this past year doing grant-supported research focused place that day in Steelville, MO, and was on TOT research in three distinct counties of the state by MoTOTA researchers. part of a larger National Trails System Admittedly, Missouri has lagged other TOT states in the knowledge base and 50th anniversary event.