By the Fire We Carry: Rebecca Nagle’s Journey Through Tribal Sovereignty Battles

Cherokee journalist Rebecca Nagle’s latest book, By the Fire We Carry, is a profound exploration of the fight for tribal sovereignty in Oklahoma. It traces the legal, cultural, and historical battles faced by the Five Tribes—Cherokee, Chickasaw, Choctaw, Muscogee, and Seminole Nations—and provides an unflinching look at the landmark Supreme Court decisions that restored their rights over reservation lands.

Nagle, who has spent years covering tribal sovereignty, takes readers behind the scenes of pivotal cases like McGirt v. Oklahoma and Sharp v. Murphy. In By the Fire We Carry, she examines how these rulings reinforced tribal jurisdiction over crimes committed on their lands and reversed decades of eroded sovereignty. Nagle combines meticulous research—interviewing over a hundred people and reviewing thousands of documents—with her own Cherokee heritage to deliver a narrative that is both personal and politically urgent.

An excerpt from the book captures her approach:
"When the Muscogee Nation won their case, they weren’t just reclaiming jurisdiction over crimes—they were reclaiming the story stolen from them, a story of survival, resilience, and belonging. To fight for sovereignty is to fight for the future of who we are."

The book also weaves in Nagle’s personal history, focusing on her ancestor Major Ridge, a Cherokee leader who made the painful decision to accept removal from Georgia during the Trail of Tears era. While criticized as a betrayal, Nagle reframes Ridge’s actions as a choice made for survival, offering a deeply empathetic perspective on a pivotal moment in Cherokee history.

By the Fire We Carry is not just a historical account but a reflection on what sovereignty means for Native peoples today. It connects past struggles to present-day battles over governance, jurisdiction, and tribal identity, making it an essential read for anyone seeking to understand the complexities of Native rights in the United States.

Rebecca Nagle’s work extends beyond the book to her podcast, This Land, which examines custody battles and federal lawsuits that challenge tribal sovereignty. Together, her book and podcast underscore the enduring fight for justice and recognition among Indigenous communities.

Sources: ICT, Tulsa World