Debra Yates

My family from my father's side, who was not Native American, came from England and they were Brainerds. And they opened the missionary just outside of Chattanooga called the Brainerd Mission. So to put it in perspective, my father's family was helping my mother's family in the 1700s and 1800s. Now, is that not just... Crazy.

My family from my father's side, who was not Native American, came from England and they were Brainerds. And they opened the missionary just outside of Chattanooga called the Brainerd Mission. So to put it in perspective, my father's family was helping my mother's family in the 1700s and 1800s. Now, is that not just... Crazy.

And we can back it up even further than that, because through my grandmother's side, Nancy Ward's side, somehow or another, somebody ended up marrying one of the descendants of the Mayflower.

And we can back it up even further than that, because through my grandmother's side, Nancy Ward's side, somehow or another, somebody ended up marrying one of the descendants of the Mayflower.

You know, in the Salem witch trials, I had a grandmother that was hung in the Salem witch trials. And two, three years later, they declared her innocent of being a witch, you know.

You know, in the Salem witch trials, I had a grandmother that was hung in the Salem witch trials. And two, three years later, they declared her innocent of being a witch, you know.

It's everything. We are our legacy. We are our ancestors. If it were not for them, there would be no us. You know, and I think about the people that Nancy Ward saved. Through the Tennessee area, the valley, you know, the foothills of the Smoky Mountains, she saved countless, countless, countless lives of the settlers in the area.

It's everything. We are our legacy. We are our ancestors. If it were not for them, there would be no us. You know, and I think about the people that Nancy Ward saved. Through the Tennessee area, the valley, you know, the foothills of the Smoky Mountains, she saved countless, countless, countless lives of the settlers in the area.

She would warn of impending battles, you know, catch this, my son and my cousin are coming to kill you. Go hide. So that was, you know, you would think it would be a really Taboo type of thing. She held the power of life and death in her hands.

She would warn of impending battles, you know, catch this, my son and my cousin are coming to kill you. Go hide. So that was, you know, you would think it would be a really Taboo type of thing. She held the power of life and death in her hands.

So the importance that she held, not only with the women's council, but with, you know, the negotiation between the white people, it's all, all inspiring to me. You know, children, you know, need to a hero. They need heroes today. They need heroes from yesterday and yesteryear and yesterdecade and yesterco hundred years ago. They don't need made up comic people to make,

So the importance that she held, not only with the women's council, but with, you know, the negotiation between the white people, it's all, all inspiring to me. You know, children, you know, need to a hero. They need heroes today. They need heroes from yesterday and yesteryear and yesterdecade and yesterco hundred years ago. They don't need made up comic people to make,

admire more than anything in the world. They need people that truly existed, truly lived, and had a significant part to play in history and life. She saved hundreds of lives, which turned into thousands of lives, which possibly turned into hundreds of thousands of lives of people that never would have got to be born if it weren't for Nancy Ward.

admire more than anything in the world. They need people that truly existed, truly lived, and had a significant part to play in history and life. She saved hundreds of lives, which turned into thousands of lives, which possibly turned into hundreds of thousands of lives of people that never would have got to be born if it weren't for Nancy Ward.

So Tennessee owes my grandmother such respect, and they have given it to her. And I have had the absolute pleasure of working with the Parks Department of Tennessee in restoring Nancy's gravesite, in improving the Nancy Ward gravesite. It's a beautiful, beautiful thing that just shows how much dedication that those people have to my grandmother.

So Tennessee owes my grandmother such respect, and they have given it to her. And I have had the absolute pleasure of working with the Parks Department of Tennessee in restoring Nancy's gravesite, in improving the Nancy Ward gravesite. It's a beautiful, beautiful thing that just shows how much dedication that those people have to my grandmother.

And, you know, I feel like she's the state of Tennessee's grandmother. People come there to that gravesite. So the book talks about how you're working to uphold Nancy's legacy today. Why is it important for others to learn about her life? I think because it's still something that someone should, that people should follow.

And, you know, I feel like she's the state of Tennessee's grandmother. People come there to that gravesite. So the book talks about how you're working to uphold Nancy's legacy today. Why is it important for others to learn about her life? I think because it's still something that someone should, that people should follow.

She had honor, she had integrity and she went to war for her family, for her tribe. And to know that I've got that kind of DNA in me.

She had honor, she had integrity and she went to war for her family, for her tribe. And to know that I've got that kind of DNA in me.