There is no Indian records of my family even though ... we know, we all "knew". No one talked about it and in the census records, all are said to be white and even negro in some records.
The whole thing created an environment of perfect dysfunction. No one really knew nor cared to really know who was who as it was indeed dangerous.
It ruined the lives of many Americans, American Indians so to speak.
When I look back at the entire picture, it is clear what the agenda was and that was either total assimilation or total genocide, take your pick. The pick tended to be assimilation as that is how one stayed alive. Most of these people that were on the Trail of Tears were mixed-blood folk. In fact, the head man for the head of the Cherokee at the time was John Ross. He was 1/8th Cherokee blood and who would have ever known if he had not had a wife that was a full-blood? NO ONE is the answer and that is the answer that was desired. It is a tragedy and restitution has never been given to my people. 
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