Which US presidents actually tried to benefit Native Americans? Here’s what history says.
Three presidents get some praise: John Quincy Adams, Calvin Coolidge and Richard Nixon
S E E D E D C O N T E N T
The US president, Donald Trump, spoke in June to a delegation of tribal leaders at the White House , claiming that: “Infringements on tribal sovereignty are deeply unfair to Native Americans and Native American communities.” His sincerity was hard to believe.
From his support of the Dakota Access Pipeline to his unabashed public appreciation for the mastermind of Indian Removal, Andrew Jackson , Trump has a long way to go before his platitudes become reality. Yet, this is not unique to Trump.
US presidents have an overwhelmingly poor track record when it comes to bettering the position of America’s First Peoples. Thomas Jefferson, the architect of American independence, treated Indian Country as an inconvenience during his terms in office . Abraham Lincoln, “the great emancipator”, allowed his generals to commit atrocities against Native American communities throughout the Civil War, leading to massacres at Sand Creek and Bear River.
Even when presidents have been sympathetic towards the plight of the American Indian, their actions have often proved contradictory . However, some have endeavoured to follow through on their statements and in light of Trump’s comments, several of them are worth highlighting.
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Just 3?
I would add Obama and currently Biden. Other than that the rest were useless at best, mercenary at worse.
There is a long history of US President's racism towards Native Americans.
Teddy Roosevelt once said that the only good Indian is a dead Indian.
as I said before, NA's are the only peoples in america that have been able to deal with republicans the most effectively and permanently.
I would add Obama and currently Biden.
What did Obama do?
What has Biden done?
"What did Obama do?"
Why so lazy Greg? It took but 2 seconds.
One would have to be deaf dumb and blind not to know that he nominated the first Native American to a cabinet position. She was confirmed in case you're living without TV/Radio/Written Media. There was a few articles on NT about it. Oh, he's added nine more NA's to important position in the administration.
There is a multitude of other things but I won't overwhelm with any more facts.
Nixon? That one actually surprises me, given his character.
Biden seems to be making some very pro-Native American decisions to date. Deb Haaland's appointment, for example.
Nixon did end the ''Tribal Termination Act'' which was devastating to Indians and was a strong advocate for Native sovereignty, but he also did a couple of things to NA's that is not looked upon well.
Idiocy fell onto Nixon's crooked path and he tripped over it.