How do you plan for a century and then forget to follow the plan? Chad Smith, who served as Principal Chief from 1999 to 2011, reflects on the ambitious 100-year plan he helped start inLeadership Lesson from the Cherokee Nation.  The concept was straightforward but groundbreaking: envision the needs of Cherokee people a century from … Read more

Economic development is essential for the prosperity of any nation, including the Cherokee Nation. However, as Chadwick “Corntassel” Smith explores in Cherokee Nation: Proceed Undaunted, there is growing concern that rapid economic expansion—particularly in gaming, hospitality, and corporate enterprises—may be overshadowing traditional Cherokee values and cultural preservation. The question remains: can the Cherokee Nation balance … Read more

Numerous tribes have come and gone throughout history. While some remained for years wandering different lands, others lost their fate against domination and negligence. But there is one tribe that has stood the test of time. The Cherokee Nation. The Cherokee Nation is the largest tribe in the United States, with more than 450,000 tribal … Read more

When was the last time your government made a decision that felt like it was actually for you? Perhaps it was not for profit, not for power, not for political spin, but for your well-being? In “Cherokee Nation-Proceed Undaunted,” Chad Smith doesn’t just write about a tribal government. He writes about the universal tension between … Read more

Sometimes, the most powerful laws are not written in books but woven into symbols. These are often sacred cords of memory, truth, and purpose. In “Cherokee Nation-Proceed Undaunted.  Chadwick Smith discusses the Keetoowah wampum belts. These are symbolic records used by Cherokee firekeepers for centuries to guide their people and preserve their truths. These belts, … Read more

At a time when democratic institutions across the globe face erosion, few stories feel more urgent or inspiring than that of the Cherokee Nation’s internal legal fight to restore its own democracy. InCherokee Nation Proceed Undaunted, former Principal Chief Chadwick “Corntassel” Smith offers a front-line view into one of the most consequential legal struggles in … Read more

It takes remarkable courage to speak out when the injustice isn’t coming from an outsider but from your own government. That is precisely what the Cherokee people did and still do in a struggle that Chadwick “Corntassel” Smith’s book, Cherokee Nation Proceed Undaunted, vividly and resolutely documents. In the early 2000s, the Cherokee Nation found … Read more

What happens when a nation forgets its own rules, and its people are no longer heard? In 2024, the Cherokee Nation failed to convene a long-overdue constitutional convention. It was an event offered every 20 years by its own laws. This wasn’t just a missed meeting. It was a silencing of Cherokee voices and a … Read more

The Cherokee Nation is a leading tribal government that has thrived through its constitutions since 1827. The Cherokee Nation is currently the biggest tribe in the US. With over 450,000 tribal citizens worldwide, more than 141,000 Cherokee Nation members live on the tribe’s reservation in northeastern Oklahoma. In Cherokee Nation Proceed Undaunted, Chadwick “Corntassel” Smith, … Read more

When most people think about the Cherokee Nation, they often recall the Trail of Tears. It was a heartbreaking chapter marked by forced removal, deep suffering, and unyielding survival. But what often goes unnoticed is the quieter, ongoing struggle between the Cherokee Nation and the United States government. It’s a fight that doesn’t involve weapons … Read more