OKMULGEE – A convoy of motorcycles helmed by the Mvskoke Corakkoohlikv, the Mvskoke Riders, roared into the College of Muscogee Nation’s parking lot on Monday, Sept. 23. This marked the last stop for the riders for the Annual Trail of Tears Memorial Motorcycle Ride which pays respects for the Mvskoke ancestors that walked the trail after Forced Removal. The 725-mile ride starts in Chattanooga, Tennessee and ends in Okmulgee during the third weekend in September. Their slogan, which also serves as a motivating reminder for why they do what they do is “Ride to Remember.” The riders were greeted by Muscogee (Creek) Nation Tribal leadership, CMN employees and other supporters eager to cheer on the riders as they completed their commemorative journey.
The Mvskoke Riders can be found at veteran funerals, parades and volunteer events around the reservation. They are known for providing funeral escorts for veterans who have passed, a tradition they call “going the last mile.” Earlier this year the group organized a barbeque fundraiser that raised money for lodging on this year’s ride.
Trail of Tears Memorial Motorcycle Ride Board Members John and Kathy Crockett are organizers of the ride and the owners of Crockett Powersports, a motorcycle dealership in Chattanooga, Tennessee. Neither John nor Kathy Crockett are Tribal citizens themselves. However, they ride to honor the victims and survivors of the Trail of Tears, as well as to give back to the community. John Crockett served as a road captain, and Kathy drove the support vehicle that provided food and medical supplies for the riders.
Office of Veteran Affairs Secretary Grover Wind joined the Mvskoke Riders on this year’s ride. According to Wind, although the ride is a hard journey to make, the sense of pride it provides is worth the effort.
“It’s a sense of honor, a sense of obligation, a sense of relief when we make that trail. As you ride that trail you begin to think and you begin to see images of our people walking, struggling. That crosses your mind. You think about how you’re tired and I want to rest, but then you remember they (the ancestors) didn’t have that option. We need to remember what they went through to get us where we’re at now. We need to remember how strong they were and that’s our strength now. It’s an honor for me to ride this.” Wind said.
The Crocketts get Involved
The commemorative ride is not the only one that is hosted in honor of the ancestors that walked the Trail of Tears. According to John Crockett, the Trail of Tears Memorial Motorcycle Ride is smaller and has a tight-knit community of riders.
John Crockett did not grow up learning about the Trail of Tears as a student in the public education system. It was not until he was an adult when he learned about the forced removal of the Five Tribes from their homelands.
“I grew up in a public school system back in Tennessee, in Nashville,” John Crockett said. “I never learned anything about the Trail of Tears. I was one of those guys that saw the signs everywhere I went throughout the Southeast, ‘Trail of Tears Historical Site.’ I always wondered what that was but I never took the time to explore it, to learn anything about it. As this opportunity presented itself I began to learn a little bit more and more about it.”
Kathy Crockett also serves as the treasury secretary for the ride. At the celebration hosted by the CMN, Kathy Crockett presented the college with a $5,000 donation marked for Native American Studies scholarships. Kathy Crockett remarked that this year saw the largest donation made with funds raised from the memorial motorcycle ride.
“We’ve come a long way in how we’re able to raise funds to donate,” Kathy said. “We do that through tee shirt sales, we have a kick off gathering where John will grill hamburgers and hotdogs and we get donations. We do a raffle that raises a decent amount.”
The word bikers can sometimes carry a negative connotation associated with criminal activity. Crockett said their group that rides the Trail of Tears Commemorative Ride aims to be family friendly, focusing on giving back to the community. Crockett Powersports also supports other rides including the group Rolling Thunder’s Rolling to Remember, an annual run through Washington D.C. on Memorial Day. The run brings awareness for prisoners of war and those missing in action.
Wind remarked that the Crockett’s involvement in the ride and their contributions to the college are extremely meaningful to the Tribe.
“I think their contributions are great.” Wind said. “I think for them to give money to the college is their way of paying something to our history.”
