Trail of Tears Commemoration Day

National Trail of Tears Commemoration Day is a day of remembrance dedicated to Native American victims of forced relocation. This is a dark chapter in U.S. history, when thousands of Native Americans were driven from their villages to arid lands assigned by the government. The commemoration takes place on September 16th.

History

The suffering of Native American families, the terrible living conditions, and the loss of their way of life marked a true tragedy that began on May 28, 1830. On that day, President Andrew Jackson signed the Indian Removal Act. His aim was to allow the state to seize lands that had long belonged to the Cherokee and other tribes. Numerous violent confrontations broke out, as many refused to leave the villages where their ancestors had lived for generations.

Attempts to negotiate a peace agreement with the Cherokee tribe failed. In 1836, Georgia severely restricted the rights of the Cherokee, and the following year, confrontations escalated. The Cherokee and many other Native Americans lost their homes and were forced to leave without being able to take their belongings. Most died along the way from disease, hunger, and exposure. This event became known as the “Trail of Tears”—a name that fully captures the pain and loss experienced, and still felt today by many Americans of Native descent.

Interesting Facts

• During the persecution of Native Americans and the seizure of their lands by European settlers, more than 10 million indigenous people died.
• The Indian Administration and Protection Act, aimed at improving relations between whites and indigenous people, was not created until 1850.
• In 2009, the U.S. Congress issued an official apology for the suffering and losses experienced by Native Americans during westward expansion.

How to Take Part

Visit a museum on National Trail of Tears Commemoration Day and attend lectures to learn more about this tragic event. Watch documentaries that explore this dark side of American history.

Share a post on social media expressing your condolences and raising awareness. This history must not be forgotten, so that similar injustices never happen again.

When is Trail of Tears Commemoration Day in 2025?

Trail of Tears Commemoration Day is observed on September 16 each year.

Observations