Honoring a complicated past Cherokee Nation donates to exhibit on deadly 1872 trial

The Cherokee Nation's donation of $100,000 to the U. S. Marshals Museum supports the creation of an exhibit focused on the 1872 Goingsnake Tragedy. This exhibit, "Tragedy at Goingsnake Theater," will be featured in the museum's Frontier Marshals Gallery, highlighting a pivotal moment in U. S.

-Cherokee relations. The clash, which resulted in 11 deaths, began when Zeke Proctor, a Cherokee man, shot a white settler, prompting federal intervention. A subsequent attempt to arrest Proctor during his tribal trial led to violent confrontations. Benjamin Johnson, the museum's president, stated that the story aims to inspire understanding of the shared past. The collaborative project involves the Cherokee Nation, the U.

S. Marshals Service, and museum historians, focusing on the complexities of jurisdictional authority. The exhibit seeks to address ongoing discussions about sovereignty and justice in the context of federal and tribal law. This initiative underscores the importance of accurately representing historical events that continue to resonate today.