About the Program
Daniel Blake Smith recalls President Andrew Jackson's seizure of Cherokee Nation land and the Cherokee's forced migration that resulted in the deaths of thousands during their journey from the southeast United States to Oklahoma territory, known as the "Trail of Tears." Mr. Smith reports that two factions of the Cherokee Nation surfaced during this time, one led by Chief John Ross who wanted to remain on native lands and the other, led by John Ridge and Elias Boudinot who argued that the tribe's survival was dependent on moving to Oklahoma. Daniel Blake Smith speaks at Malaprop's Bookstore in Asheville, North Carolina.