NBCU Photo Bank/ Getty The ALSC drew attention to Wilder’s ‘Little House on the Prairie’ novels, which it said include “expressions of stereotypical attitudes inconsistent with ALSC's core values." To this day it makes me sad that Native Americans were forced onto reservations where they were basically starved, cheated and forced to give up their traditions, native tongues. Open dialogues should be part of book discussions with children, always encouraging them to share their questions and views. To strip her name off an award because she would be considered racist today is unfair. The DVD contains an interesting bonus featurette about Native Americans and African Americans on the prairie. Laura asks Ma, “Why don’t you like Indians, Ma…This is Indian country, isn’t it? Few people today realize, and perhaps Laura herself didn’t know, that a section of Kansas was once called Indian Territory. In an article with the jarring title “Little Squatter on the Osage Diminished Reserve”, Francis Kaye states “Wilder, writing as honestly as she knew how, spun a tale that, because of her very decency, makes ‘ethnic cleansing’ appear palatable.” Ma saw it as an intrusion by uninvited guests. As an adult I find that really sad. We can explain this to children as we read the books. Very well done. I first read the books when I was about 12 or so. All if it was cold blooded murder! An educator since 1983, Laura McLemore was destined to a lifelong love of Laura Ingalls Wilder. It’s just like people were, and some still are, afraid of those who ride motorcycles. So far, there are not any drastic rumors regarding her personal and professional life. In recent years the Little House books by Laura Ingalls Wilder have been accused of being culturally insensitive and even racist, particularly Little House on the Prairie. Wilder lived in rural Missouri, far away from libraries or universities with large reference sections. The episode I was watching was about “ their Indian friend” A three generation family in Walnut Grove with a grandson is half Native American He freely cut logs to build a house, hunted wild game for food and furs, dug a well and broke the land for farming. The Little House books are among those. The mega-popular book series was famously made into an equally popular TV series by NBC which aired from 1974-1983. In 1998, an eight-year-old native American girl on the Upper Sioux Reservation of southwestern Minnesota came home in tears after listening to her teacher reading the novel. The girl’s mother complained to the school, and tried for months to have the book dropped from the curriculum. The novels’ portrayal of black people and native Americans may have been accepted in the 1930s, but are now “not universally embraced,” said the association. Teachers should do this. The government had not paid them what was owed due to the great debt incurred by the Civil War and hunting was becoming scarce due to the settlement of the western frontier. We cannot and should not rewrite history. My ancestors are survivors who fled to New Ulm. Proud of you my friend. Because, of what they read, and heard about “The Hell’s Angels”. I find it amazing that so many people equate the “the only good Indian is a dead Indian” thing with Laura being racist. I when I was reading “Little House on the Prairie ” for the first time as a young girl about 22 years ago, I was concerned about Ma’s prejudices. Imagine you are reading a book that you loved as a child, perhaps you are reading it to your young child, or that you are reading it for the very first time. Why are some people trying to erase history and rewrite to suit their views??? While one may assume that we’re all going along in 2019, you never know what children are being exposed to at home, as evidenced by our current rise in racially motivated attacks. It’s not my place to judge or justify them…but rather, to understand them from their perspective, to learn from them and mostly to enjoy the stories. Now the legendary author who wrote those books has had her name stripped from a major children’s book award. As an adult I have always read the books with a historical perspective and as being a product of their times. As a result, some of her writing isn’t accurate. Well- written! Laura, you never fail to amaze me. This is the second year I’ve taught Little House on the Prairie in my 5th grade class and it has opened up some very frank and meaningful conversations about prejudice, racism, and historical context. From the author’s “perspective” is the important part. These books explore different areas of Wilder’s life and work, often bringing new and unexpected interpretations to a wide range of topics. I read them to our son when he was little. Little House on the Prairie controversy has Missouri connection. Created by Blanche Hanalis. The Little House books promote a racist and white-centered understanding of westward expansion. I cannot express how refreshing it is to read the previous comments. Filed Under: History, Learning Tagged With: Books, History, Laura Ingalls Wilder, Little House on the Prairie. To punish Laura Ingalls Wilder for not keeping within the standards of acceptability in 2020 shows lack of perspective and education. Save my name, email, and website in this browser for the next time I comment. This website uses cookies. People need to be aware of the times of which they are reading, but to blatantly call it racism, seems inappropriate as well. In Little House on the Prairie Ma tells Laura that “Pa had word from a man in Washington that the Indian Territory would be open to a settlement soon. Whoa now. You can’t sanitize or change it. His Hair Was Naturally Gray. Some plots also include subjects such as drug addiction (e.g. I don’t care who you are or how mad you can be at someone but killing women and children and babies YES babies, makes it a massacre! I would strongly recommend that you get your hands on a copy of “Bury My Heart at Wounded Knee” by Dee Brown and read the chapter on “Little Crow’s War” for a better understanding of the Dakota uprising in Minnesota. I cannot imagine traveling across country by wagon! We recommend reading Bury My Heart at Wounded Knee: An Indian History of the American West by Dee Brown. To read the thoughts, beliefs and experiences of people who once were alive and living their lives every minute of every day is fascinating. Do you decry the author as a racist and vow to never read another word? Her mother read Little House in the Big Woods in second grade and named her second daughter after the beloved author. Before moving to Kansas, the Ingalls lived near the border of Minnesota and Wisconsin. Laura’s stories come from an oral tradition. Here’s some information that will put things in perspective as you read. I’m privileged to call you my friend and fellow teacher. Other worthwhile books are Through Dakota Eyes: Narrative Accounts of the Minnesota Indian War of 1862 edited by Gary Clayton Anderson and Alan R. Woolworth and Over the Earth I Come: The Great Sioux Uprising of 1862 by Duane P. Schultz. As an adult I cringe when I read the books but I have to remind myself that society has made progress and I’ve grown as a person to recognize racism. What would you say if you knew that these words are found in the beloved book Little House on the Prairie by Laura Ingalls Wilder? The US Association for Library Service to Children (ALSC) has removed Laura Ingalls Wilder's name from one of its awards over racist views and language. Little House on the Prairie. We cannot forget these books were written in a time where this was the norm. I enjoyed reading your thoughts. I have read them so many times! That said, there are certainly things in the book that have been an issue for many, many years. Additionally, it is helpful to point out that Wilder presents a more favorable point of view using Pa as a counterpoint. Laurapalooza 2012. I enjoyed this thought-provoking article and wanted to let you know that this particular teachable moment is applicable in other countries with a history of colonialism. Under the provisions of earlier treaties, the Osage had the right to charge squatters rent if they wanted to. It is called “Man-eating Killer Sharks.” My kids love it – even though today we know that sharks do not hunt for humans. We invite you to visit our Recommended Reading section to find books for children and young adults and for adults. Re-naming an event does not give one side or the other greater legitimacy. From the perspective of the white settlers, I am sure it did seem like a massacre. I remember feeling the fear of the unknown as the natives came into the cabin, the curiosity of the different as Laura rushes in to see them, the sadness she felt when watching them march along and away, and the pride she had when she tanned like “an indian” by ignoring her frustratingly restrictive bonnet. I am glad I wasn’t born in those days! I came to this post exactly as one of the readers you described: an adult revisiting a beloved childhood story …then coming upon “the only good Indian is a dead Indian.” My knee jerk reaction was “okay scratch this of the list to share with my future kids!” But you are completely right: Ingalls’ work is a great platform to discuss racism and xenophobia. Come in to read, write, review, and interact with other fans. For nearly 10 years, beginning in 1974 and ending in 1984, the Ingalls family of Little House on the Prairie personified all the wholesome charm of settlers surviving in the old American West. Parents need to know that Little House on the Prairie is set on the American frontier in the late 19th century, so aspects of daily life may seem foreign to younger viewers who lack historical understanding. What a breath of fresh air in these tumultuous and divisive times. You may also be interested in an entertaining and educational documentary film about Laura Ingalls Wilder, which is appropriate for all ages. Little House on the Prairie contains the notorious slur, "the only good Indian is a dead Indian. The stories in the books are told through the eyes of an intelligent, curious, answer seeking young girl who lived a life none of us are now living. In the fall, I teach The Birchbark House, by Louise Erdrich. The questions then arise, is this because Wilder is culturally insensitive or is she simply writing from her perspective, having been born in 1867 and writing in the 1930s? What do readers need to know when reading Little House on the Prairie? To be honest, the show never did shy away from controversy. I have books from my childhood that I read to my kids. How can we help children develop an understanding of the historical perspective in Little House on the Prairie? As a child, Wilder survived a cloud of 3.5 trillion locusts. It doesn’t stop me from reading the books since I still view them as a perspective made by Laura Ingalls Wilder and she is writing about those times. Autres temps, autres mœurs. As we read Little House, we stop often and reflect on the similarities and differences between the main characters, their families, and their life styles. Since I learned that story, I’ve understood Ma’s feelings better and why they make sense given the time in history. The Osage saw it as collecting rent. Frankly, I love to meet people from other countries, learn their ways, and for the most part, taste “their” food. However, like the books, that series hasn’t aged well. Most act on the belief that they have the moral superiority. If we do not know the true history of our nation’s/culture’s past, how can we prevent ourselves from making the same mistakes? Great article! She did not have information at her fingertips. Unfortunately, in a rush to complete her chores, Ma accidentally scratches her leg on some baling wire. In an entertaining and educational documentary film about Laura Ingalls Wilder, Little House the... Open dialogues should be read, and always will be considered racist today is unfair born. Presents a more favorable point of view using Pa as a result, some of real. Things that may not reflect our own values a journey on a time.. Pit young readers against the people whose land was stolen by pioneers like Pa and brothers out. 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