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Open today from 9am to 9pm • March 22, 2010

Author Speaks out for Black Cherokees

Before I read Sharon Ewell Foster's historical novel Abraham's Well, I didn't even know there was such a thing as a Black Cherokee. These are the African-American slaves who were a part of the Cherokee nation, many of whom were forced to walk the Trail of Tears with them. Foster's book brings history to life in a powerful way, as it tells the story of a one of these slaves, a young woman named Armentia who is forced to leave her family, give up her son, and endure all sorts of abuse throughout her life. Foster documents her research and explains how her own genealogy inspired the story. This is an aspect of history most of us have never been taught and Armentia as a person who shared both black and American Indian heritage is a fascinating character.

The descendents of those Black Cherokee slaves have traditionally been considered a part of the Cherokee nation, but a recent vote revoked their membership in the tribe. This controversial decision has come under scrutiny by some members of Congress (read the MSNBC news story), and Foster has also spoken out on the issue. In a recent edition of Publisher's Weekly Religion Bookline she reacted to the news by saying "This is not the Cherokee way. This is not the American way". She goes on to say that being rejected by the Cherokee nation "feels like abandonment" to her. Click here for the rest of the story.