The Choctaw Nation's Assistance During Irish Potato Famine-1847

The Trail of Tears was actually a series of removals of Southeastern Natives, beginning in 1831 and continuing until 1838, with other groups removed from time to time after that.  The Choctaw, who occupied large portions of what is now Louisiana, Mississippi and Alabama were the first to go.  There are several bitter ironies to this.  The first is that the Choctaw people had secured their land rights through a series of treaties with the United States Government beginning in 1801.  They had also rendered assistance to Andrew Jackson during his military campaign culminating in the 1814 victory at the Battle of New Orleans.  Like Janaluska of the Cherokee, though, Choctaw leaders would come to understand that Jackson felt no gratitude toward them.  The only concessions made in the 1830 Treaty of Dancing Rabbit Creek was that a predetermined number of Choctaw were allowed to stay in Mississippi.  Those who agreed to go chose their land first in Indian Territory. 

Beginning in 1831 and continuing in 1833, three waves of Choctaw people made their march.  About 17,000 men, women and children were removed.  Anywhere from 2500-6000 perished.  Groups of Choctaws were ordered to congregate in Memphis, Tennessee and Little Rock, Arkansas to prepare for deportation.  As they left, many saw their homes and farms being burned behind them as White settlers helped themselves to their livestock.  Alexis de Tocqueville, a French traveler and writer, saw the group at Memphis gathering to leave.  He wrote that the tranquil and somber behavior of the people made the scene all the more heartbreaking.  As the journey progressed, rations got scarce.  Each person was issued a handful of parched corn, one turnip, and a cup of water per day.  One chief remembered the journey later as a trail of tears and death and the name stuck.

The Choctaw arrived in their new homes in Oklahoma and tried to rebuild their lives as best they could.  After the betrayal and hardship they faced, it would be no surprise if they had no desire to help anyone, but they did.  Beginning in 1845, Ireland faced the most severe famine in its history.  Blight struck the potato crop, leaving many families without the staple of their meager diet.  By 1847, things had gotten so bad that the famine was being referred to as the Great Hunger.  While many Irish could and did immigrate, others could not afford the passage and so had to stay in their homeland and wait for a better harvest next year, or death in the immediate future.  There were already large Irish communities in America who made known the sufferings their fellow countrymen were facing back home.  They were taking up collections of money to send back to Ireland to purchase food or to pay for passage of those worse affected.

Word of this effort reached the Choctaw in their new home in Oklahoma.  Recognizing the suffering of fellow human beings, the Choctaw took up a collection.  While some historians place the amount at $170, others believe this is a misprint and the Choctaw raised $710.  Either amount would be worth several thousands of dollars in today's money.  And, the Irish people never forgot this generosity.  During the 150th anniversary of the Trail of Tears commemoration, Irish people joined the Choctaw to retrace their journey.  Recently, a statue was unveiled in Ireland, commemorating the Choctaws' generosity.  It consists of nine stainless steel feathers in a circle.  Representatives of the Choctaw people were on hand at the ceremony.