Archer W.: Dana, there’s an incredible story linking the Irish Potato Famine and the survivors of the Trail of Tears. Tell me about it.
Dana Hedgpeth: Let’s go in our wayback machine to 170 years ago, when the Choctaw Nation was forcibly removed from its homeland in the southeastern part of the United States. You may have heard of it: It’s called the Trail of Tears, sadly, and they were forced to what is now Oklahoma. They had suffered disease, starvation, bad weather, and many people died. Even in their suffering, they heard of the Irish who were suffering way across the ocean and having their own hardships in what was known as the Irish Potato Famine.
The Indians decided to donate money and get it sent to help those families in need. Fast forward to more modern times that we all know of. COVID hit, or as my kids call it, Verona the Corona. The Irish heard of Native American suffering, especially the Hopis and the Navajos, and decided that they would repay that favor by collecting money for water, food, and medical supplies just as their ancestors had years before.
It’s a great story of humans helping humans when in need.
Archer W.: Thank you, Dana. That was Dana Hedgpeth from the newsroom of The Washington Post.
