The Cherokee Phoenix was the first newspaper published by Native Americans in their own language. It was established in 1828 to promote the Cherokee language and culture. However, the US government was pushing forward the Indian Removal Act, which aimed to relocate Eastern tribes west of the Mississippi River. This led to increasing conflicts over land rights between the Cherokee Nation and the state of Georgia, culminating in the US Supreme Court cases of Cherokee Nation v. Georgia and Worcester v. Georgia. Despite these rulings supporting tribal sovereignty, the Cherokee were ultimately removed to Indian Territory in 1838 during the Trail of Tears.