Commemorative 'Trail of Tears' Walk set for Sept. 17

Walkers will meet at 1st Woodbury United Methodist Church fellowship hall at 502 W. High Street.

The Trail of Tears Walk will start in procession to the Cannon County Court House where memorial and commemoration will take place. Tribal singing and prayers in honor of those who walked and in memorial. Words of remembrances of "The Trail Where We Cried" and the people remember "Where We Walked and Where We Cried." Tribal Citizens and Tribal leaders will be in attendance. Mayor Andy Duggin will present a Commemoration for the day in memory of the Trail of Tears. All are welcome to attend.

A wreath will be placed at the court house in commemoration of the 500 Muscogee Creek people who walk with 10,000 Cherokee and their slaves here in Woodbury, Tennessee. Woodbury includes what has been called the Northern Trail and is part of the original Trail of Tears.

The Muscogee Creek Nation citizens of Oklahoma return and remember this portion of the Trail of Tears with fellow Muscogee Creek citizens who live in Cannon County and in Tennessee. What does it mean to Muscogee Creek Citizens to return to the place where such a horrific event in their history took place? The commemorative walk signifies that this is a part of our collective history and should never be forgotten. To remember this time is a very emotional thing, but as we remember we look for the healing of our land and the people who lived on after the Trail of Tears. We remember in faith that God can heal all things and that reconciliation is one thing we work towards. It is hard to recall the suffering of those who walked the Trail of Tears. We can only remember that they were here and that they passed through this place.

Tribal member of the Cherokee tribes also have an annual Trail of Tears bike ride to commemorate the Cherokees who were removed and walked the Trail of Tears.