Two Sisters Publish Beginner Cherokee Syllabary Textbook To Help Preserve the Cherokee Language

Congratulations to Cherokee Citizens, Dr. Anita McGruder-Johnson and Mrs. Diana McGruder Harper, who have published, Sensational Syllabary Sentences: Read, Write and Remember the Cherokee Syllabary. https://amzn.to/3OaSHmO

Their family oral history includes ancestral connections to Dorcas Buffington, the daughter of Chas. Foreman and Patsey (a slave) who created a family in Candy’s Creek, Tennessee. Their grandmother, Sadie Mae Olivia Toneta Seals McGruder, received “Indian money” during the 1940’s. In the the early 2000’s, their father, Dr. Deorsey Earl McGruder and his siblings received citizenship. He encouraged his children to apply with their families, to learn the history, to learn the language and to vote.

Dr. McGruder enjoyed hearing the Cherokee language; and in his eighties, began to recognize the syllabary icons. He introduced the Cherokee Syllabary icons to his grandchildren, as well. Although, he could recognize them, he had difficulties remembering them.

In 2022, the two sisters completed 3 online Cherokee language courses, sponsored by the Cherokee Nation. As they learned, they designed a textbook to help other beginner Cherokee learners to read, write and remember the Cherokee Syllabary, using sentence mnemonics. This is their contribution to preservation of the Cherokee Language. To honor their great grandmother, a portion of the proceeds from the book will go to the “Li’na Ross Cherokee Language Preservation Fund.”