--- title: "Meaning & Key Takeaway of: The American Indian, once proud and free…" description: "\"The American Indian, once proud and free, is torn now between White and tribal values; between the politics and language of the White man and his own h..." image: "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/58d/lyndon-b-johnson-684_american-indian_the-american-indian-once-proud-and-free_2850092.jpg" --- # The American Indian, once proud and free, is torn now… ![“The American Indian, once proud and free, is torn now between White and tribal values; between the politics and language of the White man and his own historic culture. His problems, sharpened by years of defeat and exploitation, neglect and inadequate effort, will take many years to overcome.” quote by Lyndon B. Johnson](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/58d/lyndon-b-johnson-684_american-indian_the-american-indian-once-proud-and-free_2850092.jpg) [Download](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/58d/lyndon-b-johnson-684_american-indian_the-american-indian-once-proud-and-free_2850092.jpg) [Open image](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/58d/lyndon-b-johnson-684_american-indian_the-american-indian-once-proud-and-free_2850092.jpg) > “The American Indian, once proud and free, is torn now between White and tribal values; between the politics and language of the White man and his own historic culture. His problems, sharpened by years of defeat and exploitation, neglect and inadequate effort, will take many years to overcome.” [Lyndon B. Johnson](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/lyndon-b-johnson/) ## About This Quote This interpretation was drafted with AI assistance. It is one reading of the quote, not the author's own explanation. The quote describes the cultural conflict and historical trauma faced by Native Americans due to colonization and ongoing neglect. **In simple terms:** Native Americans face cultural clash and lasting hardship. Key Takeaway Address systemic injustice and support cultural revitalization. Themes identity colonialism justice culture policy Mood somber reflective Type political historical social When to use this quote - education reform - legal advocacy - community health programs - language preservation Key Concepts historical trauma cultural assimilation political marginalization Questions to Reflect On - How can policies honor both tribal sovereignty and modern needs? - What steps can individuals take to support Indigenous resilience? A Different Perspective Oversimplifies diverse experiences into a single narrative. ★ ★ ★ ★ ★ No ratings yet [American indian](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/american-indian/) [Culture](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/culture/) [Defeat](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/defeat/) [Effort](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/effort/) [Exploitation](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/exploitation/) [Failure](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/failure/) [Indian](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/indian/) [Indians](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/indians/) [Language](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/language/) [Men](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/men/) [Neglect](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/neglect/) [Overcoming](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/overcoming/) [Politics](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/politics/) [Problem](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/problem/) [Proud](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/proud/) [Values](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/values/) [White man](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/white-man/) ## Related quotes > [Suppose a white man should come to me and say, "Joseph, I like your horses. I want to buy them." I say to him,…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/chief-joseph/suppose-a-white-man-should-come-to-me-and-say-joseph-i-like-your/) [Chief Joseph](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/chief-joseph/) > [If the white man wants to live in peace with the Indian, he can live in peace…Treat all men alike. Give them all the…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/chief-joseph/if-the-white-man-wants-to-live-in-peace-with-the-indian-he-can-live-2/) [Chief Joseph](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/chief-joseph/) > [ They \[American Indians\] never did straight-up fights. It wasn't about, you know, getting killed in the line of fire. 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They have…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/tecumseh/where-today-are-the-pequot-where-are-the-narragansett-the-mohican-the-2/) [Tecumseh](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/tecumseh/) > [No. But then the American Government--whatever branch--has never really grasped the concept of tribal identity.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/laurell-k-hamilton/no-but-then-the-american-government-whatever-branch-has-never-really/) [Laurell K. Hamilton](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/laurell-k-hamilton/) > [People are hard-wired for tribal identity.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/bruce-pavitt/people-are-hard-wired-for-tribal-identity/) [Bruce Pavitt](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/bruce-pavitt/) > [I come from a time when every kid dressed up. Everybody. If you didn't, you wouldn't be able to hang out. It was very…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/paul-weller/i-come-from-a-time-when-every-kid-dressed-up-everybody-if-you-didn-t/) [Paul Weller](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/paul-weller/) > [“We don’t know whether they’re going to eat us or elect us for their tribal deities.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/clark-ashton-smith/we-don-t-know-whether-they-re-going-to-eat-us-or-elect-us-for-their/) [Clark Ashton Smith](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/clark-ashton-smith/) > [“Although the emotional and intellectual differences between the world’s peoples as individuals are slight enough, even a small shift in social behavior can generate…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/nicholas-wade/although-the-emotional-and-intellectual-differences-between-the-world/) [Nicholas Wade](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/nicholas-wade/) > [I see film as a real opportunity to examine the human condition. No matter where the technology goes in the future, the basics don't…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/michael-schultz/i-see-film-as-a-real-opportunity-to-examine-the-human-condition-no/) [Michael Schultz](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/michael-schultz/) > [Only two to three per cent of an audience is interested in words and pays attention to lyrics; most of the rest of it…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/al-stewart/only-two-to-three-per-cent-of-an-audience-is-interested-in-words-and/) [Al Stewart](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/al-stewart/) ## More by Lyndon B. Johnson > [There is something more important than any ultimate weapon. That is the ultimate position-the position of total control over Earth that lies somewhere out…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/lyndon-b-johnson/there-is-something-more-important-than-any-ultimate-weapon-that-is/) [Lyndon B. Johnson](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/lyndon-b-johnson/) > [Each year more than 100,000 high school graduates, with proved ability, do not enter college because they cannot afford it. And if we cannot…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/lyndon-b-johnson/each-year-more-than-100-000-high-school-graduates-with-proved-ability/) [Lyndon B. Johnson](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/lyndon-b-johnson/) > [Knowledge is of two kinds: we know a subject itself, or know where to find it.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/lyndon-b-johnson/knowledge-is-of-two-kinds-we-know-a-subject-itself-or-know-where-to/) [Lyndon B. Johnson](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/lyndon-b-johnson/) > [We come to reason, not to dominate. We do not seek to have our way, but to find a common way.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/lyndon-b-johnson/we-come-to-reason-not-to-dominate-we-do-not-seek-to-have-our-way-but/) [Lyndon B. 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Johnson](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/lyndon-b-johnson/) > [Republicans simply don't know how to manage the economy.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/lyndon-b-johnson/republicans-simply-don-t-know-how-to-manage-the-economy/) [Lyndon B. Johnson](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/lyndon-b-johnson/) > [I don't believe I'll ever get credit for anything I do in foreign affairs, no matter how successful it is, because I didn't go…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/lyndon-b-johnson/i-don-t-believe-i-ll-ever-get-credit-for-anything-i-do-in-foreign/) [Lyndon B. Johnson](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/lyndon-b-johnson/) > [There are no favorites in my office. I treat them all with the same general inconsideration.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/lyndon-b-johnson/there-are-no-favorites-in-my-office-i-treat-them-all-with-the-same/) [Lyndon B. Johnson](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/lyndon-b-johnson/) > [I'm the only president you've got.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/lyndon-b-johnson/i-m-the-only-president-you-ve-got/) [Lyndon B. Johnson](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/lyndon-b-johnson/) > [I am afraid, ... that health begins, after seventy, and often long before, to have a meaning different from that which it had at…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/lyndon-b-johnson/i-am-afraid-that-health-begins-after-seventy-and-often-long-before-to/) [Lyndon B. Johnson](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/lyndon-b-johnson/) > [The family is the corner stone of our society.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/lyndon-b-johnson/the-family-is-the-corner-stone-of-our-society/) [Lyndon B. Johnson](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/lyndon-b-johnson/) > [Never make a speech at a country dance or a football game.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/lyndon-b-johnson/never-make-a-speech-at-a-country-dance-or-a-football-game/) [Lyndon B. Johnson](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/lyndon-b-johnson/) > [Our society is illuminated by the spiritual insights of the Hebrew prophets. America and Israel have a common love of human freedom and they…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/lyndon-b-johnson/our-society-is-illuminated-by-the-spiritual-insights-of-the-hebrew/) [Lyndon B. Johnson](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/lyndon-b-johnson/) [Explore all 411 Lyndon B. Johnson quotes ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/lyndon-b-johnson/) ## More American indian quotes > [I told my friend - we were working on a movie together - and he gave me a script and asked me to give…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/karla-souza/i-told-my-friend-we-were-working-on-a-movie-together-and-he-gave-me-a/) [Karla Souza](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/karla-souza/) > [Language is decanted and shared. If only one person is left alive speaking a language - the case with some American Indian languages -…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/rita-mae-brown/language-is-decanted-and-shared-if-only-one-person-is-left-alive/) [Rita Mae Brown](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/rita-mae-brown/) > [Everything an Indian does is in a circle, and that is because the power of the world always works in circles.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/black-elk/everything-an-indian-does-is-in-a-circle-and-that-is-because-the/) [Black Elk](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/black-elk/) > [Humor is widely used by Indians to deal with life. 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In what calendar are kept the records of those next times which never come?](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/helen-hunt-jackson/next-time-in-what-calendar-are-kept-the-records-of-those-next-times/) [Helen Hunt Jackson](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/helen-hunt-jackson/) > [I think awards in this country at this time are inappropriate to be received or given until the condition of the American Indian is…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/marlon-brando/i-think-awards-in-this-country-at-this-time-are-inappropriate-to-be/) [Marlon Brando](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/marlon-brando/) > [So, one of the things I was doing with the aliens in The Quiet Invasion was creating that advanced society which had ideas about…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/sarah-zettel/so-one-of-the-things-i-was-doing-with-the-aliens-in-the-quiet/) [Sarah Zettel](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/sarah-zettel/) > [I've always considered myself a man of integrity as a leader of the American Indian Movement and of Indian people. 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I'll tell you what's wrong…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/william-s-burroughs/now-christianity-sounded-good-at-first-to-the-naive-convert-love/) [William S. Burroughs](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/william-s-burroughs/) [Browse all 174 American indian quotes ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/american-indian/) ```json { "@context": "https://schema.org", "@graph": [ { "@type": "Quotation", "text": "The American Indian, once proud and free, is torn now between White and tribal values; between the politics and language of the White man and his own historic culture. His problems, sharpened by years of defeat and exploitation, neglect and inadequate effort, will take many years to overcome.", "creator": { "@type": "Person", "name": "Lyndon B. 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