Lincoln: no hero to Native Americans

For many, President Lincoln will forever be remembered as the man who changed the course of our nation. His monument is one of the most visited sites in Washington, D.C. and his presidency one of the most celebrated. But would it surprise you to learn that to some, President Lincoln isn’t considered a hero? In fact, Abraham Lincoln is not seen as much of a hero at all among many Native Americans, as the majority of his policies proved to be detrimental to them. 

In a special issue of Washington Monthly commemorating the 150th anniversary of the Emancipation Proclamation, Sherry Salway Black, director for the Partnership for Tribal Governance National Congress of American Indians, dives into why many Native Americans don’t revere President Lincoln, touching on how several massacres of Native Americans occurred under his watch.

Read the full article, as well as other articles from the January/February issue of Washington Monthly.  In conjunction with the release of this special issue of Washington Monthly, the W.K. Kellogg Foundation and Washington Monthly hosted an event in Washington D.C. on Jan. 25. Watch the C-SPAN coverage of the panel discussion.