Greetings, I am Elias Boudinot (Cherokee: ᎦᎴᎩᎾ ᎤᏩᏘ), also known as Buck Watie. I was born in 1802 and had the privilege of growing up in Cherokee territory, now part of present-day Georgia. As a writer, newspaper editor, and leader of the Cherokee Nation, I dedicated myself to promoting the importance of acculturation for the survival of our people. My marriage to Harriet R. Gold, amidst controversy, exemplified my commitment to safeguarding the future generations of the Cherokee.