Willstown, Alabama: A Systematic Analysis of Indigenous History Portrayal in K-12 Classrooms and Historic Sites

Abstract

Across the United States, Indigenous history often appears as footnotes to American history. Many scholars, educators, and citizens ignore the significance of the first inhabitants of the United States. However, without Indigenous contributions and assistance, the United States would not exist. Within this thesis, I focus on one specific Indigenous settlement and its contribution to Alabama and Cherokee history. Willstown, Alabama, emerged as a political, cultural, and social guardian to the Chickamauga people. During Removal, the Willstown Mission Cemetery became the final resting place of forty-one emigrants, and the stockade remains today as a reminder of this tragedy. Understanding the past only acts as one step, however, in adequate interpretation. The second step is thoughtful, deliberate, and accurate education of Alabama’s youth so they may proceed as responsible citizens and interpret the true nature of the United States’ past. This thesis functions as a guide to the second step through analysis of current Alabama State Social Studies Standards and educational practices and offering opportunities for tightening the gap on historiographical growth and education curricula.