For the Cherokee people, history is not something confined to bookshelves or archives. It shapes who we are and guides where we are going. Our history is the living foundation for our modern Cherokee identity.

Today, we are taking steps to ensure that foundation is better protected and shared for generations to come. Recently, we advanced several important efforts that reflect our commitment.

First, through an executive order, we established a task force to examine, recover and safeguard the records of the Office of the Principal Chief.

For nearly two centuries, the Office of the Principal Chief has been central to our government, dating back to the adoption of our first constitution in 1827. The records of those who held that office — documents that capture critical decisions, challenges and progress — have been scattered, inaccessible and at risk of being lost. The new task force will develop clear strategies to locate and manage those materials for the long-term benefit of the Cherokee Nation.

I am especially proud of the leadership guiding this effort. Keith Austin, who will chair the task force, brings both experience and a deep respect for Cherokee history. His understanding of our government and his commitment to preserving our shared story make him the ideal person to lead this effort. He strongly believes that our past must remain accessible to inform our future.

A former elected member of the Council of the Cherokee Nation, Keith also championed the creation of our registry of historic sites. That mission continues to grow across the Cherokee Nation Reservation, as we have moved to preserve the historic homes of multiple former Cherokee leaders.

The recent designation of former Principal Chief J.B. Milam’s home in Claremore ensures that one of the most consequential periods in Cherokee history is preserved in a tangible way. During an era when federal policies suppressed tribal governance, Chief Milam helped sustain Cherokee leadership and laid the groundwork for the self-determination we exercise today. His home, which once served as a de facto seat of Cherokee government, now becomes a place where that story can be told and understood.

Alongside this effort, we also secured historic site designation of the home of former Principal Chief Tom Buffington in Vinita, a site tied to a pivotal Cherokee governance transition at the turn of the 20th century. Preserving the Buffington home can help future generations better understand the challenges our Nation faced during the allotment era and Cherokee leadership in that age. Acquisition of the Buffington Home was part of First Lady January Hoskin’s vision for expanding opportunities to share Cherokee history and culture in the outlying areas of our reservation.

Together, these historic homes represent critical chapters of our Nation’s resilience and ability to adapt and endure.

Collectively, all these efforts are about more than preservation. They are about continuity and a belief that the story of Cherokee leadership belongs to the Cherokee people. What we are doing today will help future generations of Cherokees fully inherit their history.

As Cherokees, our future depends on how we carry forward the lessons of the past. Protecting our critical records and honoring places like the Milam and Buffington homes means we are doing exactly that: carrying the Cherokee story forward, together.

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