A Treacherous Choice And A Treaty Right

Code Switch

NPR

Society & Culture

4.6 • 14.5K Ratings

🗓️ 8 April 2020

⏱️ 31 minutes

🔗️ Recording | iTunes | RSS

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Summary

The Principal Chief of Cherokee Nation told his people to stay strong during this pandemic, and to remember how much they've endured over a long history that includes the Trail of Tears. This episode takes a look at the treaty, signed almost 200 years ago, that caused that suffering, and how it's being used now as a call to action.

Transcript

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0:00.0	I'm Shireen Madisoul Miraji.
0:01.7	I'm Jean Demby and this is Code Switch.
0:04.5	From NPR.
0:10.0	I didn't know who I was exactly.
0:12.4	I didn't know where we started.
0:15.5	You are Cherokee.
0:16.8	Your grandfather's fought and gave their lives to save Cherokee Nation.
0:23.6	My family history is riddled with federal policy, congressional actions.
0:28.4	Right? I mean, I see it.
0:30.0	It's a story that I tell.
0:38.3	Jean, the idea for this week's episode started here.
0:42.4	The Cherokee Nation has named a delegate to the U.S. House of Representatives for the first time ever.
0:47.9	A 200-year-old treaty with the U.S. promises the Cherokee people a representative in Congress.
0:53.6	The Cherokee Nation would be allowed to appoint one member to the House.
0:56.8	I remember this being all over the news a few months ago.
0:59.3	The Cherokee Nation, as you just heard, was appointing its first ever delegate
1:04.0	to the U.S. House of Representatives.
1:05.6	And it was a huge deal because this was a treaty right.
1:08.8	Cherokees had for more than 180 years, but didn't claim until this past fall.
1:14.5	Americans ought to know that just because it's been 180 years doesn't mean we've set back for 180 years.
1:19.9	It means we have been suppressed and ripped apart during most of that time.
1:27.6	All month long on Coats, which we're telling stories about who we are and who counts in 2020.
	...

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