Native American views on USA's 250th

USA's 250th through Native American eyes - 13th July 2026

As the United States of America celebrates its 250th anniversary, it's a time of reflection for Native Americans. In 1776, European colonists signed the Declaration of Independence, which states that "all men are created equal". However, the same document referred to Indigenous Peoples as "merciless Indian Savages".

This presented a false image of Native Americans. The assistance that they had given to the first settlers is forgotten. Historians are encouraging the US to use this anniversary to correct the historical record.

Over several centuries, Native Nations have been forced off their historic lands. 60,000 people were forced from the Southeast by the Indian Removal Act of 1830.

They had to take dangerous journeys to territories west of the Mississippi. Between 4,000 and 15,000 Indigenous people and their Black slaves died from bad weather, disease and lack of food. These journeys are known as the Trail of Tears.

In addition, the US government ran schools which attempted to erase Indigenous culture. Children were sent to boarding schools far away from their families and tribes. The children were forced to use English names, while their own languages and culture were banned.

The schools gave these Indigenous children a Christian education. They were given European haircuts and made to wear European clothes.

The director of the Center for Native American Youth, Tracy Canard Goodluck, is from the Oneida Nation. For her, the anniversary "should be about all history - the good, the bad and the ugly."

Words like "merciless Indian Savages" were used by past US governments to dehumanise Native Nations. Canard Goodluck's trying to change this narrative. "We're still here. We're doctors, lawyers, teachers and political leaders."