Before the pandemic shut down area schools and changed life as many know it, Jerry Shadow Wolf Davis was busy working to put books and history in Alabama schools.

Davis, a graduate of East Limestone High School, wrote “Riding to Remember: Trail of Tears Motorcycle Ride,” which includes “the tragic history of the American Indian: from the usurping of their homes and land, the erosion of their customs and culture by European immigrants, to the current political climate.” The book, which was published in December 2019, covers the events that led to the Trail of Tears.

Many Limestone Countians are aware of the annual motorcycle ride held each year during the third week in September. Davis, who is of Cherokee descent, founded the ride 28 years ago.

“I started that ride to remember the Trail of Tears, bring attention and educate people,” Davis said, adding he had a lot of help from his friends. The Trail of Tears Commemorative Motorcycle Ride has been called “the largest spectator event in our state” by Alabama Tourism Director Lee Sentell.

Many fourth graders across the state have read about Davis. A portion of “Alabama Studies Weekly,” used in classrooms across the state, shares how Davis and his friend, Bill Cason, decided to start the commemorative ride along the same route Native Americans were forced to march. The first Trail of Tears Commemorative Motorcycle Ride was held Oct. 8, 1994.

Davis also worked to get the trail designated and marked and spearheaded the legislation for Trail of Tears Corridor of Alabama. He said most students learn about the Trail of Tears in Alabama through a 30-minute lesson plan. He wants to give students a copy of his book so they can learn even more.

About Davis

Davis, who was born in Huntsville but moved west of Athens in 1955 with his family, grew up on a cotton farm on Browns Ferry Road. He said he grew up working hard. He loved sports and participated in football, basketball and track and field at East Limestone High School.

After graduation, Davis worked at Marshall Space Flight Center in operations and maintenance. He later started Shadow Wolf Inc., a contract company to NASA at Marshall Space Flight Center and the NASA Michoud Assembly Facility in New Orleans. Projects he worked on include the Apollo program, Skylab and the International Space Station.

Davis also founded the Alabama Waterfowl Association and started a Canada goose and a mallard restoration project for North Alabama.

According to Davis, he obtained the Trail of Tears historical documents from Duane King and Richard Sheridan, who each served on the Trail of Tears National Historical Trail Advisory Council. Davis said the documents provided evidence of an almost unknown Trail of Tears route that closely followed U.S. 72.

He said he worked with the Alabama Indian Affairs Commission and the Alabama Legislature to draft legislature to name the area and U.S. 72 as the Trail of Tears Corridor of North Alabama. In 1996, the National Park Service added the Trail of Tears route to their Trail of Tears National Historic Route brochure.

Putting history in schools

In early March, just a few days before Gov. Kay Ivey declared a state of emergency and schools shut down across the state, Davis was back at East Limestone High School with a mission to put his book on the shelves of his alma mater’s library. His gift — three signed books and a display case — was in memory of the late Paul Hargrove.

Davis said Hargrove was big inspiration in his life. In the donated books, he wrote that Hargrove “was a great leader and shaped many people’s lives in positive ways.” He said he hopes the students at East Limestone High School learn “a thimbleful about the Trail of Tears.”

Davis is a proponent of history in every school system.

“If you don’t know your past, you won’t know where you’re going in the future,” he said. “History is so important.”

“Riding to Remember: Trail of Tears Motorcycle Ride” is available for purchase through stores like Walmart, Target and Barnes and Noble and is also available on Amazon.

Visit bookstore.dorrancepublishing.com/riding-to-remember/ to find out more.