[Michlib-l] Wilder

Tue Sep 14 14:36:31 EDT 2021

Thank you so much, Anne, Journey, Miranda, and Syntha! You've all very
eloquently said all the things I was thinking!

*PLEASE NOTE NEW EMAIL ADDRESS *

Jocelyn Levin, MLIS
Youth Services Librarian
jlevin at ltpl.org

Lyon Township Public Library
27005 S. Milford Rd, South Lyon, MI 48178
248.437.8800
www.LTPL.org

On Tue, Sep 14, 2021 at 2:09 PM Syntha Green via Michlib-l <
michlib-l at mcls.org> wrote:

> This piece of research might help, http://www.dickshovel.com/ind.html
> it can also be found in JSTOR
> THE ONLY GOOD INDIAN IS A DEAD INDIAN
> History and Meaning of a Proverbial Stereotype©
> by Wolfgang Mieder
>
> It ends with a passage that I think some people need to really think
> about:
> The fact that this tiny piece of folk wisdom is still current today is a
> very sad comment on this society and its behavior towards Native Americans.
> As long as there remain prejudices and stereotypes about this minority
> population, the proverb will not cease to exist. Wherever it will be
> uttered or written, it will expose blatant inhumanity towards the Native
> Americans. A conscious attempt to refrain from using the proverb "The only
> good Indian is a dead Indian" might at least help to bring about some
> changes towards a better life for Native Americans, one of pride and
> dignity as is befitting for the indigenous people of this great country -
> better the proverb die a long overdue death than any Native American get
> hurt by it again.
>
> On Tue, Sep 14, 2021 at 1:51 PM Syntha Green <syntha.green at baldwinlib.org>
> wrote:
>
>> Lori, I don't think you get to say what a minority feels is harmful (or
>> not).  Do you actually think a Native American child is going to feel great
>> about themselves when they read this passage:
>> Mrs. Scott said she hoped to goodness they would have no trouble with
>> Indians. Mr. Scott had heard rumors of trouble. She said, "Land knows,
>> they'd never do anything with this country themselves. All they do is roam
>> around over it like wild animals. Treaties or no treaties, the land belongs
>> to folks that'll farm it. That's only common sense and justice." She did
>> not know why the government made treaties with Indians. The only good
>> Indian was a dead Indian. The very thought of Indians made her blood run
>> cold.
>> Syntha
>>
>> On Tue, Sep 14, 2021 at 12:37 PM Lori Rinaldi via Michlib-l <
>> michlib-l at mcls.org> wrote:
>>
>>> Actually, Wilder wrote about Native Americans in a good light, in her
>>> own opinions, but mentioned how other people were afraid of them , ect. She
>>> did mention being terrified during their war chants.
>>>   Saying that her writing his armful to any group is wrong. Read the
>>> books. Don't just believe some hype.
>>>   Not wanting to start a fight here. but I have studied LIW very
>>> closely, esp in my grad years.
>>> But I do respect you opinion. I just disagree with it.
>>>
>>> Lori Rinaldi
>>>
>>> On 09/14/2021 10:24 AM Anne Heidemann via Michlib-l <michlib-l at mcls.org>
>>> wrote:
>>>
>>>
>>> Boozhoo (hello), Michigan library community,
>>>
>>>
>>> I wanted to share some information about Wilder and her Little House
>>> books that not everyone may be thinking about. In my role serving as the
>>> Tribal Librarian for the Saginaw Chippewa Indian Tribe, I have had the
>>> opportunity to study and think about this issue in depth and humbly share
>>> this with you.
>>>
>>>
>>> The content of Wilder’s works is actively harmful, not just to Native
>>> readers whose ancestors are supposedly portrayed in them, but to everyone
>>> who reads them and takes in those damaging depictions. They portray a
>>> vision of history as seen from a settler colonialist perspective that did
>>> not allow any room for the humanity of people who were not white settlers
>>> (in addition to the inaccurate depictions of Indigenous peoples, there is
>>> also anti-Black content).
>>>
>>>
>>> Many of us working in libraries may have fond memories of reading or
>>> having these books read to us when we were kids, but it is possible to
>>> separate those memories from the harmful content that accompanied them – to
>>> make a different choice when recommending books to today’s young readers.
>>>
>>>
>>> My suggestion here is that we choose to celebrate writers and books that
>>> include everyone’s humanity, and chose not to celebrate those which do not.
>>>
>>>
>>> There is quite a lot of writing out there about the damage that Wilder’s
>>> books do.  Please contact me off-list if you’d like me to provide
>>> suggestions.
>>>
>>>
>>> Miigwetch,
>>>
>>> Anne
>>>
>>>
>>> Anne Heidemann, Tribal Librarian (she/her)
>>>
>>> Saginaw Chippewa Tribal Gindaaso-gamik - Saginaw Chippewa Tribal
>>> Libraries
>>>
>>> aheidemann at sagchip.org - aheidemann at sagchip.edu
>>>
>>> 989-787-0651 * 989-775-4519 * 989-317-4789
>>>
>>> ploud.saginaw.net
>>>
>>> subscribe to our newsletter
>>> <http://www1.youseemore.com/saginaw/contentpages.asp?loc=52>
>>>
>>>
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>>
>>
>> --
>> Syntha Green
>> She, her
>> Youth Services Librarian
>> Baldwin Public Library
>> 300 W. Merrill St.
>> <https://maps.google.com/?q=300+W.+Merrill+St.+Birmingham,+MI+48009+248&entry=gmail&source=g>
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>> 248
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>> -554-4670
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>>
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>
>
> --
> Syntha Green
> She, her
> Youth Services Librarian
> Baldwin Public Library
> 300 W. Merrill St.
> <https://maps.google.com/?q=300+W.+Merrill+St.+Birmingham,+MI+48009+248&entry=gmail&source=g>
> Birmingham, MI 48009
> <https://maps.google.com/?q=300+W.+Merrill+St.+Birmingham,+MI+48009+248&entry=gmail&source=g>
> 248
> <https://maps.google.com/?q=300+W.+Merrill+St.+Birmingham,+MI+48009+248&entry=gmail&source=g>
> -554-4670
> www.baldwinlib.org
>
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