Exile from Georgia: The Cherokee and Muscogee Trails of Tears

 Exile from Georgia: The Cherokee and Muscogee Trails of Tears tells the story of two nations forced to leave their land and homes in the early 19^th century and make a harrowing journey to an unknown place and unknown future. Developed in close collaboration with Oklahoma-based Cherokee and Muscogee (Creek) Nation leaders, artists, scholars and advisors, the exhibition centers Native voices and perspectives in telling this consequential chapter of Georgia and American history.

Though the Cherokee and Muscogee peoples experienced removal at different times and under different circumstances, both endured broken treaties, the loss of homelands and forced journeys west to Indian Territory, present-day Oklahoma. Exile from Georgia examines those distinct histories while conveying the profound human consequences of removal: the loss of home, community and connection to place.

The exhibition uses immersive storytelling to bring these histories and their continuing impact to life. Original artwork by Native artists, multimedia installations, contemporary interviews and oral histories create an experience shaped by the voices of Native people themselves.

At the heart of the exhibition is a series of original immersive short films designed to place visitors within the emotional reality of exile from ancestral homelands. Native artists contributed to the films’ creation, bringing their perspectives and artistic voices directly into the experience.

While Exile from Georgia confronts a painful chapter in American history, the exhibition is ultimately a story of endurance and resilience.