This Cherokee Nation paper proved to America that tribes had their own sophisticated government

The Cherokee Phoenix Newspaper, Georgia

In 1828, a bold Cherokee editor named Elias Boudinot launched something America had never seen before.

The Cherokee Phoenix became the first Native American newspaper, printed in both Cherokee syllabary and English.

This four-page weekly challenged everything white Americans thought they knew about Native intelligence and civilization.

The Phoenix helped the Cherokee Nation speak up for their rights and share news with both their people and Americans.

Here’s how it all began, and you can explore this groundbreaking story at the New Echota Historic Site in Georgia today.

When The Cherokee National Council Approved The Newspaper

The Cherokee National Council supported the tribal newspaper by setting aside $1,500 to buy a printing press and typefaces.

This alone indicated its importance to white readers, to help them understand that Native Americans were far from the “savages” they imagined.

Leaders had already written a constitution and set up a two-house council, modeling their government after the United States.

By early 1828, workers finished building a log printing shop in New Echota.

How Sequoyah’s Syllabary Made The Newspaper Possible

Sequoyah created a written form of the Cherokee (something new and fresh). He spent twelve years working on it despite the criticism.

His finished system had 86 characters. Each symbol stood for a syllable sound in Cherokee, creating words by combining these characters.

Cherokee people learned the system remarkably fast. Within a few years, thousands could read and write their language.

This writing system made the Cherokee Phoenix possible.

When Elias Boudinot Was Named The First Editor

Cherokee leaders chose 23-year-old Elias Boudinot as the first editor of the Cherokee Phoenix in 1827. He came from an important Cherokee family.

Born Gallegina Watie, he later took the name of an American supporter who funded his education at Cornwall Seminary in Connecticut.

His brother Stand Watie, Major Ridge (his uncle), and cousin John Ridge all held leadership roles in the tribe, so his literary worth proved useful.

The Cherokee Council paid Boudinot $300 yearly, showing they valued his work as both editor and translator for the newspaper.

The Fundraising Tour That Made Publication Possible

More money was needed to support the newspaper so Boudinot and other tribal leaders tried fundraising across northeastern United States.

Stand Watie, John Ridge, and Elijah Hicks joined this journey. They spoke to churches, civic groups, and schools about their planned newspaper.

The American Board of Commissioners for Foreign Missions supported Cherokee education through financial backing.

The combined efforts raised enough money to buy the equipment and supplies needed to make the newspaper a reality.

Samuel Worcester’s Critical Role In Establishing The Paper

Samuel Worcester, a missionary from Massachusetts, helped create the Cherokee Phoenix beyond his religious work.

He arrived in Cherokee territory in 1825 and quickly became involved, working with the Cherokee Council to design the printing office in New Echota.

His publishing knowledge proved essential.

In 1827, he traveled to Boston to oversee the type production for Cherokee characters. This ensured the paper would print accurately in both languages.

Worcester also used his connections with church groups to get more funding for construction and printing supplies.

The Printing Press Journey To Cherokee Territory

The Cherokee Phoenix’s printing press came from Boston, purchased with money from the Cherokee Nation and donations.

Printers John Wheeler and Isaac Harris traveled from Tennessee to run it.

The press arrived at New Echota on February 1, 1828. After a 200-mile trip from Augusta, workers hauled the gear over mountain paths by wagon.

The 1,000-pound iron press was installed in a log building measuring 30 by 20 feet. Wheeler and Harris spent three weeks learning its usage.

The First Issue’s Layout And Design

The first Cherokee Phoenix had four pages with five columns on each page. It contained news, religious writings, and official tribal documents.

This fulfilled Boudinot’s vision of both information and cultural needs. Only about one-fifth of the first issue appeared in the Cherokee syllabary.

Historians, including those at the Library of Congress, recognize the newspaper as the first of its kind by a Native American tribe.

This balance reflected both translation challenges and Boudinot’s aim to reach Cherokee and English-speaking readers alike.

What The First Issue Contained

The first issue featured an article by Samuel Worcester praising Sequoyah’s writing system, explaining the hows of Cherokee print.

Boudinot’s first editorial criticized white settlers who wanted Cherokee lands. This established the newspaper as a defense system.

The first three issues published the entire Cherokee constitution, adopted in 1827, which set up the government structure.

Later issues printed important laws passed by the Cherokee Council.

The Significance Of The Phoenix’s Name

Elias Boudinot named the newspaper “Cherokee Phoenix” after the mythical bird that burns and is reborn from its ashes.

He learned about this story during his education in Connecticut.

The phoenix symbolized renewal and survival, powerful ideas for Cherokee people facing threats to their lands and way of life.

Throughout history, the newspaper has disappeared and reappeared as the Cherokee Nation faced civil war threat and Oklahoma statehood.

The Unique Subscription Model For Everyone

The Cherokee Phoenix created a smart pricing system that helped reach all Cherokee citizens regardless of education or economics.

Cherokee speakers who couldn’t read English got the paper free.

English-reading subscribers paid $2.50 yearly if they paid early, $3 if they paid mid-year, or $3.50 if they paid at year’s end.

The model included people who read only Cherokee but not English. They could pay $2 in advance or $2.50 during the year.

Visiting New Echota Historic Site, Georgia

You can explore the birthplace of the Cherokee Phoenix at the New Echota State Historic Site near Calhoun, Georgia.

The reconstructed print shop contains a period-accurate printing press similar to the one used for the 1828 publication.

Park rangers will demonstrate traditional printing with Cherokee syllabary type, hand-setting, and using a manual press.

The visitor center displays original Cherokee Phoenix issues and explains how this groundbreaking newspaper came to exist.

Photography is permitted throughout the site.

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