Parent Guide > Excerpt from Trail of Tears Diary

by Jobe Alexander & Mary Hill 1938

Welcome to the parent guide for this text! Read below to find out about what your child is reading in class and how you can support him/her at home.

This week in class, we’re reading "Excerpt from Trail of Tears Diary" by Jobe Alexander & Mary Hill.

The Trail of Tears is the name given to the forced relocation of Native American nations following the Indian Removal Act of 1830. The removal included many members of tribes who did not wish to assimilate. Many Native Americans suffered from disease and exposure, and somewhere between 2,000-6,000 Cherokee died on the trail. The Trail of Tears Diary includes interviews that reveals the extraordinary resilience of the Native American nations during the trail.

As we read, we will be discussing the themes of Prejudice & Discrimination and Resilience & Success as they relate to the text. We are trying to answer these big questions :

"What are the effects of prejudice?" and "How does a person overcome adversity?"

Ways to support your child:

  • Ask your child about this primary source document at home:
    • What was "Excerpt from Trail of Tears Diary" about?
    • What did you learn about Prejudice & Discrimination?
    • What did you learn about Resilience & Success?
  • Watch Trail of Tears National Historic Trail at home with your child.