May 28 On this date in 1830, U. S. legislation leading to the “Trail of Tears” was enacted. President Andrew Jackson signed a bill that forced the Cherokees, Creeks, Chickasaws, Choctaws, and Seminole Indian tribes off their land in the southeastern United States. It is estimated that one-third of the members of these tribes involved in this removal and the ensuing trek to Oklahoma were of African descent. As an adjunct to this policy, the state of Georgia pressured the government to enforce a similar 1802 agreement as compensation for their cession of western territory of the United States. The U.S. Army reported at the time 512 Blacks lived in the Choctaw Nation.
Reference: African American and Native American History Princeton Public Library 65 Witherspoon Street Princeton, NJ 08542 609-924-9529
