Trail of Tears Exhibit at the Cherokee National Museum

The original caption for this photograph reads: With help from the National Park Service, the Cherokee Heritage Center permanently houses an exhibit that explores the forced removal of the Cherokee people from their indigenous territory to the “Indian Territory,” present-day Oklahoma. The sculptures create an environment where the visitor walks alongside the Cherokees on their route from their homelands to the Indian Territory. The nine figures represent the variety of lifestyles and people that made this historic trek. The experience of being in the moment alongside the Cherokee leaves an immeasurable effect on our visitors’ emotional understanding of the Trail of Tears.