OKMULKEE, Oklv. – The Muscogee (Creek) Nation and the College of the Muscogee Nation were honored to take part in an event welcoming the Mvskoke Riders who participated in a multi-day motorcycle ride to honor those who walked the Trail of Tears centuries ago. On Sept. 23, members of Belvin Baptist Church gathered at the College of the Muscogee Nation’s Administration Building to greet the riders with a home-cooked dinner featuring many Muscogee and Indigenous staples.
In addition to this, one of the event’s organizers, John Crockett, a motorcycle rider and business owner from Chattanooga, TN, was presented with a special award by the Mvskoke Riders for his service. Crockett and the Riders also presented a $4,000 scholarship to the College of the Muscogee Nation as thanks for their help as well.
Their stop at the College on Sept. 23 was part of a multi-day ride across multiple states and tribal nations, starting in Cherokee, North Carolina on Sept. 20, and ending in Seminole, Oklahoma on Sept. 24. During their trip, the riders would pass through multiple states, including North Carolina, Tennessee, Alabama, Mississippi, Arkansas, and finally Oklahoma.
“This is the 31st year of the Memorial Ride, and there have been various iterations of it, but there have been consistent rides to the different nations or tribes here in the area for the last 31 years, and I see that tradition continuing. There are thousands of riders who make this trip every year or so. … When I first learned about it, it was interesting to me. … We’ve always said that our goal was to create awareness, but it was also to give back to the community in some fashion, and it seemed to me that scholarships would be an appropriate way to do that. … The idea was there long before me, but the opportunity to promote it just came about in recent years.” Crockett said in a statement to Mvskoke Media.
Anyone wishing to join the group can call the MCN Veterans Affairs Services Office at 918-732-7739. To stay up to date on the group’s upcoming appearances and events, visit their Facebook page, Mvskoke Riders.