Vowell is part Cherokee ( about 1/8 on her mother 's side and 1/16 on her father 's side ) . According to Vowell , " Being at least a little Cherokee in northeastern Oklahoma is about as rare and remarkable as being a Michael Jordan fan in Chicago . " She retraced the path of the forced removal of the Cherokee from the southeastern United States to Oklahoma , known as the Trail of Tears , with her twin sister Amy . In 1998 , '' This American Life '' chronicled her story , devoting the entire hour to her work
Trail of Tears
Trail of Tears
Sarah Vowell