Echoes of Resistance (Part 1)

In my series, “Echoes of Resistance,” book two (Cherokee Sunset) continues the McNair sisters saga. Book one, Cherokee Afternoon, opened a door for events to confront Molly and Emmy. These books are meant to reflect all our lives to some degree.

When I examine my Cherokee ancestors’ lives, I see echoes of resistance in various situations. I would like to start with one in particular. My 3^rd great-grandmother, Annie, was a minor when her parents, John and Sarah Rogers, decided in the mid-1830s to hold onto their land and become United States citizens. In 1840, when Annie turned eighteen, she married John Wilson Lenoir, a descendant of General William Lenoir, a Revolutionary War veteran for whom Lenoir County, North Carolina, was named.

Annie Rogers Lenoir felt the echoes of resistance. Throughout the 1800s, she resisted the government’s pressure to conform. Though listed as white on most of the U.S. Census records, excepting the 1900 Census, where she was listed as Native American, she lived true to her original Cherokee Nation citizen identity. She enlisted on the Siler, Chapman, Hester, and Dawes rolls during her lifetime. More important, she ensured that her children and grandchildren were enrolled as Cherokees. She and one of her sisters, Cynthia, were some of the first Cherokee students at Salem Academy in the 1830s.

Annie has come to me in my dreams, during my waking hours in times of great need, and, finally, in my writing (see Chattahoochee Rain). Month in and month out, I feel the echoes of Annie’s resistance.

I also sense that her Cherokee sunset has been bold, orange, and painted with determination and much love.

The McNair sisters reflect that boldness and determination.

Read Part 2