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Posted by Ronnie Akers
on 8/4/2012, 7:59 am
Some years ago your magazine ran a story about Noah Akers (The Old Herb Doctor, a.k.a. The Cancer Doctor). The story was a hatchet job on my Great Grandfather. He was not taught herbs by an Indian (we prefer the name Native American), he was in fact a Native Person (ref. 1900 and 1910 census of Floyd County, Ky.)Akers was not his Last name but the name of the person who sponsored him and swore to his good character, (A "Good Indian")
Native Americans, especially those living in Eastern Kentucky, were subject to deportation to Oklahoma Indian territory up until 1915. If you were proven to be one fourth Naive or more, you were subject to be held in detention until transportation to Oklahoma could be arranged. Now if a good "white family" stood good for you and swore to your good character, you could remain among the general population. Your children would be subject to being sent to the Indian School in Pennsylvania to be turned "white" and turned against their heritage.
The Native Populations hid their ethnic background out of fear and self hatred turned inward and the story you published was published by a relative either ashamed of their Naive heritage or out of the fact that the "white man's suppression of the Native American Culture was complete.
Anyone interested in the truth and not a fairy tale, feel free to contact me. I will provide Noah's real last name which will allow you to excess his archival information.
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