1812

My childhood was bad enough as it was, without the help of the horrible Andrew Jackson. Before I was born, the new government of the United States signed a peace treaty with my ancestors, the Cherokee Nation. They signed it, recognising us as our own nation within the borders of the U.S. Apparently, it won't last long. No, more like it didn't last long at all.

Hello, let me give you some information about me. My name is Malda, and I'm half Cherokee and half African. My father, Paldermo was an African Prince in his tribe back in his own native land in Kenya. He is now a slave to Micheal E. Lee, cousin of Robert E. Lee. Master Lee is horrible to my father, but I will explain that later. My mother is a Princess Mathera. Her father is the Chief of the Cherokee Nation. I was born July 27th, 1801. Now, on with my story.

Let me give you a history lesson. Andrew Jackson was the United States's 7th president. So far, and as far as I'm concerned, probably even in the future, President Jackson was the worst president ever. He 'deported' my mother because she is a citizen of the Cherokee Nation. I, at this Time, am in a very bad situation. Regardless of what I do, what my ambitions are, I am born "against their regulations." I have 0, none, zero white blood in my family. My father is the most hardworking slave in Georgia, and as I said before, my mother is Cherokee. I know you may be thinking, "you've got the best of Both Worlds!" But the trueth is, in this time, its THE WORST of both worlds. The Native Americans are considered lower life forms, and Blacks, well, to say the least, are considered animals.

Unfortunately, but very true, I either get 'deported' or I get  enslaved. Choices, choices. Let me ask you, would you rather be a slave, or move against your will to a place that could very well kill you? Either way, I'll be seperated from one of my precious parents. Can you imagine being the one to have to choose one parent of the other at the age of 14?  It's miserable! I am 14 years old, and am probably making one of the most important choices of my life. I'm not supposed to have to pick one parent over the other! 

Lets say I pick to be with my father. His 'owner' is bruetal and cruel.  He could kill a maid coldheartedly. (As long as he sees her body fall down, in distress and surprise, gun shots filling the air, then, the maid collapses to the floor, as she breathes her last breathes and speaks to my father, "Good luck, my love. I..." Then, her eyes roll back. She's dead. In this particular case, she was Marie, a Black girl who also married my father. She was my lovely step mother. I loved her. When my father told me of her death, I wouldn't come out of my bedchamber for weeks. My father was forbidden by his master to never see my mother again after they had me, but they always snuck around to meet each other at nights.) My life would be in danger if I stayed with my father. Did I meansion that the master is mean and very cruel to girls, giving them no thought, no respect, as if we weren't even animals? I could be beaten to death, or raped!

And if I go with my Mom? Walk over ten THOUSAND miles, and risk the chance of dying of disease and/or hunger? Count me FAR out! I'm already distressed about leaving, or loosing a parent enough, Pu-LEASE! I don't need diseases and more sorrow facing ahead; my friends and their family's deaths! Not to meansion my family's deaths! Did I mension the fact that my grandfather is the Cheif? How will he respond to the death toll? How will he handle it? Most importantly, Can he stand it? Imagine, for a minute, that you were him, having to walk the Trail Of Tears. Making your country, your people, your own family move to a location. Worse, making them WALK!