Learn the history behind the Trail of Tears

(KBSI) – Indigenous Peoples’ Day and Columbus Day is Monday, October 9.  “It was originally to celebrate the idea that Columbus discovered America, however Columbus didn’t discover anything.” Says, Denise Dowling the park’s superintendent who adds that the long voyage Columbus made was originally to discover a new path to the West Indies. When he stumbled upon what is now known as the Bahama islands. Dowling marks, “He thought he had reached the West Indies, so that’s kind of where the term Indian came from.”

Fast forward to 1830, and President Andrew Jackson puts into place, the Indian Removal Act, causing as many as 60,000 Indigenous Peoples to be forcibly displaced from the Southeastern area of the United States, into the Indian territory that is now Oklahoma.

The treacherous and bad weathered journey that killed thousands is now called the Trail of Tears, and the path runs right through Cape Girardeau County. Dowling adds, “The consequence of that whole manifest, destiny, idea is really what we want to acknowledge, not that Columbus came over, but that these folks were already here.”

In memorial to the trail, and for preservation of land and wildlife, the state park is a protected area and is enjoyed by many who love nature.

Visiting the memorial and hiking their way along the park are Becky and Rob Glinka, who say they have learned a lot since coming onto the campgrounds, “Actually I just learned this weekend that, is that there are a whole lot of native communities that don’t have access to any potable water.”

Rob says his biggest takeaway is the life lesson Trail of Tears leaves behind, “A Whole lot of history that we’re learning about just from being here, obviously we don’t want to repeat the mistakes of our past and fix the problems that we cause in the first place.”

Tap here to read the proclamation on Indigenous Peoples’ Day.