Indian Removal to the Wild West

Neal McCaleb, Ambassador At-Large, Chickasaw Nation

Neal McCaleb, Ambassador At-Large for the Chickasaw Nation, explains that after valiantly standing beside him in the War of 1812, the Chickasaw and other tribes were soon betrayed by President Andrew Jackson’s push to remove them from their homeland to areas west of the Mississippi River. Sensing resistance from the Indian people, the federal government claimed it could not protect them if they remain in states with an increasing number of non-tribal people who may not respect tribal laws and governments. This sad and dramatic period in history led to the U.S. Supreme Court’s “Marshall Trilogy” of decisions – which remain as the cornerstones of American Indian law.

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Imagining the Agony of Removal

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LaDonna Brown reflects on the unimaginable concept of her ancestors being wrenched from their homelands and from all that they knew.

Chickasaw Removal: The McCaleb's Story

Neal McCaleb, Ambassador At-Large, Chickasaw Nation
Torn from their homes, businesses and fertile fields in Mississippi, the Chickasaws were pushed west into the wilderness known as Indian Territory.

Removal: Benjamin Love

Tom Love
Tom Love's forebear, Benjamin Love, was on the commission sent by the federal government to scout out the state of Oklahoma just prior to removal.

1799: A Year of Pivotal Change

Richard Green
George Washington's leadership brought about the unification of the 13 colonies and the treaty to protect Indian boundaries.

Settlers in the South

Neal McCaleb, Ambassador At-Large, Chickasaw Nation
Westward expansion found the Indian Nations fighting encroachment on their ancestral lands.

Historical Focus of Chickasaw Removal

Dr. Daniel Littlefield
Dr. Littlefield’s book, "Chickasaw Removal", frames a span of time from 1820 to 1856.

Struggle on Arrival in Indian Territory

Richard Green, Author & Former Chickasaw Nation Historian
Richard Green describes the wilderness and shortages of food and water that awaited the Chickasaws and Choctaws on arrival in their new homeland.