The Trail of Tears: Cherokee Legacy

America's most shameful episode of ethnic cleansing is the subject of the excellent documentary The Trail of Tears. The “Five Civilized Tribes” (Cherokee, Creek, Chickasaw, Choctaw, and Seminole) were expected to acculturate to “white” standards in the late 18th and early 19th centuries, but then were still forced out, especially after the discovery of gold in Georgia, which not only accelerated the pressure on native peoples but also led to the Indian Removal Act of 1830. In 1838, some 16,000 Cherokee Indians in the Southeastern United States embarked—in exchange for their homelands—on a mandatory march along what came to be known as the “trail of tears,” moving 800 miles west to Indian Territory (later Oklahoma) to join other relocated tribes, a horrific journey that resulted in the deaths of thousands (nearly a quarter of the people). Hosted by acclaimed actor Wes Studi (speaking in Cherokee with English subtitles), The Trail of Tears combines interviews with eminent historians, re-enactments filmed on-location in six different states, and narration by James Earl Jones, with additional voiceover work by James Garner and Crystal Gayle, among others. Highly recommended. Aud: H, C, P. (R. Reagan)