By working with government agencies, private individuals, organizations and tribes, the U.S. National Park Service administers the Trail of Tears National Historic Trail. Logos are prominently displayed that guide travelers along the route. The National Park Service also has research links on its website, and participates in the Challenge Cost Share program, which is a federal funding program for preservation and education projects along the Trail of Tears.
The Cherokee Nation is the second largest Native American tribe in the United States, with more than 200,000 tribal members. The tribe's website at Cherokee.org has numerous articles about the Trail of Tears. The information available includes a historical overview and a copy of the ultimatum letter that Maj. Gen. Winfield Scott sent to the Cherokee Nation on May 10, 1838. In this letter, the Cherokee in northern Georgia were told that they must travel west to find new homes.
The museum is located at the Cherokee Heritage Center in Park Hill, Oklahoma. It contains the permanent Trail of Tears exhibit. The exhibit contains six galleries that use documentation and artifacts to focus on specific aspects of Cherokee history and culture. The first exhibit tells about pre-removal Cherokee life. The second explains court battles leading up to the removal. The third exhibit describes imprisonment of Cherokee before the forced march. In the fourth exhibit, forced removal of other tribes is explained, and the fifth display shows the Trail route and events during the march. The final exhibit explains recovery efforts of Cherokee after the removal.
In 1993, the Trail of Tears Association was created in Missouri as a non-profit organization. The National Park Service and the Trail of Tears Advisory Council were responsible for starting the organization, and it had approval from Cherokee leaders. The Trail of Tears Association engages in the protection and preservation of Trail of Tears National Historic Trail resources. The organization also promotes awareness of the Trail's history and legacy.