In 1976, Gerald Ford declared the first “American Indian Awareness Week.” That remained in place until 1990 when during the George H.W. Bush administration, it was expanded to the full month of November. In 2010, Barack Obama updated the language and declared November to be “National Native American History Month.”
That all ended this year thanks to Donald J. Trump.
Trump decided that November would no longer be known as a month celebrating Native Americans but instead has declared the month to be “National American History and Founders Month.”
Of course, there is one thing all the founders had in common — they were white.
So, essentially, in many people’s eyes, Trump has rejected a month dedicated to Native Americans and diversity for one that celebrates white people exclusively.
Not that there is anything wrong with knowing our history or even celebrating it. But we, as Americans essentially do that all year long. Our very existence, in essence, celebrates that every day. In this proclamation, the message seems to be that Trump wants to celebrate only white people, and not the Native Americans that the month has been designated for since 1990.
At least that’s the way many are interpreting it that way. Folks on the Twitter-sphere mockingly renamed it things like “National White Slave Holders Month” and “White Supremacy Month.” Another often retweeted line was that Trump’s spirit animal must be a jackass.
Trump has faced criticism throughout his presidency and has even been accused of being a racist or white supremacist. Trump, of course, denies those claims. Others point out his comments after White Supremacists killed a Nazi-protesting woman in Charlottesville, Va. where he said there were “very fine people” on both sides. Or that his immigration policies seem to many to be based more on skin color of the people coming in than other factors.
This move will simply add fuel to that fire.
Featured image via Indianz.com
