The Cherokee were one of many tribes forcibly removed from their Southeastern homelands to Indian Territory as part of the Indian Removal Act (1830). This forced removal would come to be known as the Trail of Tears. This portrait painting is of a Cherokee political leader named George Lowery. He was an active leader for Cherokee Nation during and after Removal. The clothing he wears demonstrates a blend of Cherokee and Anglo-American styles. This clothing style was a choice Lowrey made that represents how Cherokee people navigated the complex relationship between tribal nations and the federal government in the 19th century.

By Zachary Qualls, PhD, Content and Meta Data Manager, Digital Curation, 2024.

George Lowery (1770-1852) was a cousin of Sequoyah and an Assistant Chief under John Ross from 1843 until 1851. He fought in the War of 1812 and was a member of the Cherokee Constitutional Conventions of 1827 and 1831. Lowery played a pivotal role in the 1843 Grand Council meeting, where he interpreted wampum belts to the crowd. Using oral tradition, he spoke to the crowd, “our forefathers . . . devised a plan for us to become friends.”

From the exhibition: After Removal: Rebuilding the Cherokee Nation, August 25, 2017 - January 21, 2018.
Curated by Dr. Duane King & Dr. Natalie Panther, 2017.