Cherokee Syllabary

A syllabary of 85 characters created alone by illiterate Cherokee native Sequoyah over 12 years, starting in 1820. Cherokee literacy exceeded 90% within 5 years — the fastest adoption rate of any indigenous script. The Cherokee Phoenix newspaper was founded in 1828, becoming the first Native American newspaper. Currently recognized as an official language in Oklahoma. During the forced removal known as the "Trail of Tears" in 1838, roughly 4,000 Cherokee perished. From the late 1990s onward, the Cherokee Nation has run script-revitalization programs, including immersion schools, and the number of users has doubled over the past 20 years.