Charles Lummis: Civilised

Rachel Medina
Helms
English III
6 September 2013
Civilized
“Civilized men are more discourteous then savages because they know they can be impolite without having their skulls split, as a general thing.” once said Robert E. Howard. This quote is related to many historical documents due to the different connotation of the word civilized in each individual story. The reader can interpret the writer's text differently than the actual denotation. In passages such as the Dawes act and Charles Lummis, Native people experience the trials and tribulations of another racial interpretation of the word civilized. In the nineteenth century, when trying to conform to the white mans view of civilization, becoming civilized had multiple effects on the
He was more of activist toward Native American equality. At first, Charles Lummis thought Indians were uncivilized but after visiting a school for Native American children his mind changed. Charles Lummis learned that Native American children were not allowed to go home to their reservations after being taken by the government to schools in which their parents had no say in. Boys were supposed to cut their hair and they were taught to be so called civilized. He came to the realization that he needed to help the Natives keep their culture and allow go to school on the reservation. Then Charles took action. He started the Sequoya League, an organization that was very dedicated to promoting policies that Lummis said,"make better Indians by treating them better."(Lummis, 1). These policies prevailed, resulting in a huge effect on Indian children and their
Though he never said they were uncivilized, the Commissioner does explain what Indians should do to progress toward civilization. In other senses, he is implying that they are uncivilized. The year 1902 was the middle of progressive era a period of social activism and political reform, thus the Commissioner's letter wasn't unnecessary. In the letter, he explained how Native American boys should cut their long hair and their people should stop painting their faces. The Commissioners reasoning was for the Native Americans to become part of the white society which was to become more civilized. Also, he explains that the face paint is causing blindness with age of the Native Americans. This helps prove the Commissioner point,causing the Native American boys to agree to cutting their hair and stop painting their face. In return, the superintendent wrote to the Commissioner telling about the agreement to cut their hair and stop painting their face. The superintendent requested that the Commissioner allow an dance. It is unknown about the answer the commissioner gave but he did get what he wanted out of the letter. Thus, bringing the Natives closer to