Virtual Trail of Tears, The David Folsom Party, 1831-32

 The David Folsom Party, 1831-32

I decided to participate in a "Virtual Trail of Tears" walk, designed to honor those who made the arduous journey from east of the Mississippi River to Indian Territory. The continued omission of the enslaved people who were among the Five Slave Holding Tribes during this particular period demonstrates how people of African descent have been pushed to the edges of history despite their participation, whether voluntary or by force. 

From November 1, 2025, to January 31, 2026, I will walk to honor the enslaved people of the Choctaw Nation and write about the individuals I can identify who made that journey. Winter 1831-32

 In their work “The North Little Rock Site on the Trail of Tears National Historic Trail: Historical Contexts Report,” Amanda L. Paige, Fuller L. Bumpers, and Daniel F. Littlefield noted that the Winter of 1831-32 was “the first major group of Choctaws to reach the North Little Rock site consisted of 594 people in David Folsom’s party.” 

Folsom’s party suffered from the extreme cold weather, and that means that the enslaved people who were a part of that removal experienced all the discomfort and illnesses that occurred alongside their Choctaw enslavers. Until now, the participation of the enslaved has been minimized or altogether ignored, but their presence among the Choctaw had been documented in the 1831 Census that was created prior to the Removal. Who will join me on this walk to honor our ancestors?

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In each of the districts that were enumerated, Netuchache (62), Moshulatubee (203), and LeFlore (247) documented enslaved people. © Terry Ligon 2025