Indians Quote by James W. Loewen
![“No matter how thoroughly Native Americans acculturated, they could not succeed in white society. Whites would not let them. "Indians were always regarded as aliens, and were rarely allowed to live within white society except on its periphery," according to [Gary] Nash. Native Americans who amassed…” quote by James W. Loewen](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/img-quotes/31e/james-w-loewen-12569_acculturated_no-matter-how-thoroughly-native-american_489063.jpg)
““No matter how thoroughly Native Americans acculturated, they could not succeed in white society. Whites would not let them. "Indians were always regarded as aliens, and were rarely allowed to live within white society except on its periphery," according to [Gary] Nash. Native Americans who amassed property, owned European-style homes, perhaps operated sawmills, merely became the first targets of white thugs who coveted their land and improvements. In time of war the position of assimilated Indians grew particularly desperate. Consider Pennsylvania. During the French and Indian War the Susquehannas, living peaceably in white towns, were hatcheted by their neighbors, who then collected bounties from authorities who weren't careful whose scalp they were paying for, so long as it was Indian. Through the centuries and across the country, this pattern recurred.””
About This Quote
Source Book: Lies My Teacher Told Me, James W. Loewen, 1995
Systemic racism excluded assimilated Native Americans from full participation in white society, leading to violence and dispossession.
In simple terms: White society denied equality to Native Americans, causing oppression.
Key Takeaway
Recognize and confront historical injustices.
Themes
history
racism
colonialism
justice
Mood
somber
urgent
Type
historical
activist
When to use this quote
- education
- policy reform
- community advocacy
Key Concepts
systemic oppression
cultural erasure
Questions to Reflect On
- How can curricula better reflect marginalized histories?
- What actions can address lingering inequities?
A Different Perspective
Change requires confronting uncomfortable truths.
![“Another result of the War of 1812 was the loss of part of our history. As historian Bruce Johansen put it, "A century of learning [from Native Americans] was coming to a close. A century and more of forgetting--of calling history into service to rationalize conquest--was beginning." After 1815…” quote by James W. Loewen](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/img-quotes/b88/james-w-loewen-12569_forgetting_another-result-of-the-war-of-1812-was-th_2288641.jpg)
