A History of the Cherokee Nation Volume 26 (New Directions in Native American Studies Series)

Written shortly before her death in 1938, Rachel Caroline Eaton’s A History of the Cherokee Nation is the celebrated Cherokee historian’s magnum opus—and a work whose grounding in Cherokee tradition and perspective makes it unique in the annals of American history. The book spans the years from pre-contact to what Eaton feared would be the Cherokee Nation’s demise after allotment and Oklahoma statehood in 1907. Its later chapters chronicle post-Civil War events that Eaton herself witnessed, from the repeated incursions into Cherokee sovereignty by railroad and timber barons, white interlopers, land speculators, and federal policymakers to the attempted dissolution of Cherokee nationhood and self-governance.

Published here for the first time, A History of the Cherokee Nation is at once rigorously researched and documented and deeply indebted to Cherokee methods of storytelling and transmitting knowledge. Eaton’s incorporation of local histories, oral accounts, family archives, and the contributions of non-academic storytellers and knowledge keepers gives this work a sense of intimacy and immediacy rare among conventional histories of the time. Her History is also attentive to the importance of Cherokee family and kinship, a cultural tradition carried forward by editors Martha Berry and Patricia Dawson, both Eaton family descendants, and David Berry. Eaton’s history of her people is accompanied by a tribute, introduction, and copious notes by the editors to provide guidance and context for today’s readers.

Once deemed “too pro-Cherokee” for publication, the book now stands as a powerful testament to the tenacity of the Cherokee spirit, the endurance of the Cherokee Nation’s history, culture, and tradition, and the significance of the Native voice in the American story.
 

Rachel Caroline Eaton (Cherokee Nation; 1869–1938) was a historian, educator, and Cherokee intellectual. She graduated from the Cherokee Female Seminary and earned a PhD from the University of Chicago in 1919. She is the author of John Ross and the Cherokee Indians.

Dave Berry worked as a newspaper editor and managing editor for 44 years.

Martha Berry (Cherokee Nation) is Eaton’s grandniece. She is a beadwork artist and was named a “Cherokee National Treasure.” She can be found at www.berrybeadwork.com.

Patricia Dawson (Cherokee Nation) is Eaton’s great-great-great niece. She is Assistant Professor of History at Mount Holyoke College.