All of us have been to museums, and most have been to a wax museum. I doubt many of us have been the actual figure in the wax museum, much less a figure connected to our own grandfather. I think that is getting to rare odds like catching lightning in a bottle, striking gold or something exceptional like that.
Jack Bosi beat those odds when he became Sequoyah, in the A. L. Lotts wax museum last week, as students reenacted history, recounting individual biographies while visitors walked the hallways to listen to each character’s unique portrayal.
Jack Bosi portraying Sequoyah, who was the member of the Cherokee Nation that created the Cherokee syllabary, making reading and writing possible, was a unique combination because Jack’s grandfather, Maxwell Ramsey, was the first board chair of the Sequoyah Museum at Vonore. Jack grew up going to the museum and hearing stories about Sequoyah. He attended their fall festivals and learned more about the Cherokee people than most ever learn.
Ramsey, who was employed by TVA, worked with the Cherokee Tribal Council and they agreed on the museum as a way to honor their people when the Tellico Dam flooded Native American land and the remains of their ancestors. The remains were reinterred on the museum property and monuments depicting the clans are erected there. Many of the tribal council became close friends with Max. There is even a trail named after Ramsey and is referenced in the brochures: “Hike the Max.”
Needless to say, last week’s event was special for the entire family, especially Jack. He said, “My whole life I have been interested in Native Americans. Growing up, the museum was an essential part of our family. We would go if there was an event or if we just wanted to go sometimes. Before it was even close to Wax Museum Day, I wished Sequoyah would be on the list. When I got the list, I immediately wanted to be Sequoyah. This fit me so well and was so important to me. I am so glad that I could be Sequoyah.”
Jack’s grandmother, Connie, said, “He was so excited to be Sequoyah at the wax museum and I know his grandfather would be extremely proud.”
I, too, am sure Max and Sequoyah would have been very proud of Jack.
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