The Only Good Indian is a Dead Indian: This comes from US history and not from Hollywood
Thinking about the new documentary The Settlers about Israel.
As I read the article about the new documentary The Settlers… where it describes the rabid Americans who moved to their promised land, folks who are now mired in genocide. I realized that what I had been watching on all the videos, and was now reading about was a deplorable American tradition, again taking place, this time manifested as violence against the Palestinians… American citizen settler colonialists who thought and now again believe they own the land. An American tradition in action! Or Hurrah For Genocide…USA USA.
thttps://www.middleeasteye.net/discover/louis-theroux-the-settlers-documentary-review
I couldn't help thinking about all of those TV show westerns I watched in the '50s and early '60s…
‘The only good Indian is a dead Indian’, a phrase that filled my '50s childhood.
Was “The only good Indian is a dead Indian” made up by Hollywood or was it real, part of the history of the United States.” (I knew it was real when I asked the question. I asked the question for the purposes of this subsack )
It's worth noting that at 4 years old I asked my mother to provide me with an ‘Indian Suit, I can still remember opening the package and putting it on. I wore it to nursery school to fight the cowboys
This is what perplexity AI has provided me as it searched the origin of this phrase. “The only good Indian is a dead Indian.”
The Origins of "The Only Good Indian is a Dead Indian": Historical Reality vs. Hollywood Fiction
The phrase "the only good Indian is a dead Indian" that resonated through American culture in the 1950s was not a Hollywood invention but rather has deep historical roots in 19th century United States, emerging during a period of violent conflict between the U.S. government and Native American tribes. This genocidal sentiment reflected attitudes prevalent during westward expansion and has since become embedded in American cultural memory, continuing to appear in various media forms to this day.
Historical Origins and Attribution
The origins of this disturbing phrase can be traced to specific historical figures and contexts in post-Civil War America, though its exact attribution remains somewhat contested.
Representative James Cavanaugh's Statement
The earliest documented use of this sentiment appears to come from James Cavanaugh, a Representative from the Montana Territory, who stated to the U.S. House of Representatives on May 28, 1868: "I like an Indian better dead than living. I have never in my life seen a good Indian – and I have seen thousands – except when I have seen a dead Indian."[12][15] This statement came during congressional testimony in which Cavanaugh went on to give "a hair-raising account of Indian atrocities against women and children," using inflammatory rhetoric to justify violent policies against Native Americans.[15]
General Philip Sheridan and Contested Attribution
Though Cavanaugh may have been the first to express this sentiment publicly, the phrase is most commonly attributed to General Philip Henry Sheridan, a Civil War hero who later commanded U.S. forces in the Western territories. According to one account, in 1869 at Fort Cobb, Oklahoma, Comanche Chief Tosahwi approached Sheridan saying "Tosahwi, good Indian," to which Sheridan supposedly replied, "The only good Indians I ever saw were dead."[9][15]
This attribution, however, is disputed. The sole witness to this alleged exchange was a staff officer named Charles Nordstrom, who made it his "favourite after-dinner story," with the account only appearing in print in 1895, seven years after Sheridan's death.[15] Throughout his lifetime, Sheridan consistently denied making this remark, and his brother Michael continued this denial after the general's death.[15][3]
Theodore Roosevelt's Variation
By the 1880s, the phrase had gained such cultural currency that prominent figures felt comfortable using variations of it. Theodore Roosevelt, in January 1886, stated: "I don't go so far as to think that the only good Indians are the dead Indians, but I believe nine out of every 10 are."[2][13] This adaptation demonstrates how the sentiment had evolved into a widely understood cultural reference point.
Cultural Spread and Impact
The phrase quickly transcended its origins to become a pervasive element in American culture and policy toward Native Americans.
From Political Rhetoric to Common Proverb
Research by Wolfgang Mieder shows that this phrase originated in the late 1860s somewhere on the frontier and rapidly evolved into what was considered a standard American proverb.[10][15] It became so deeply ingrained in American vernacular that by the late 19th century, it was routinely used in newspapers and public discourse, with Native American casualties in military conflicts sometimes described as "good Indians."[4]
Impact on Federal Indian Policy
The sentiment behind the phrase influenced federal policy toward Native Americans. Richard H. Pratt, founder of the Carlisle Indian Industrial School, referenced it in an 1892 speech, saying: "A great general has said that the only good Indian is a dead one, and that high sanction of his destruction has been an enormous factor in promoting Indian massacres. In a sense, I agree with the sentiment, but only in this: that all the Indian there is in the race should be dead. Kill the Indian in him, and save the man..."[17] This reframing of the phrase became the philosophical foundation for assimilationist policies that sought to eradicate Native American cultures.
Contemporary Cultural References
Far from being confined to history, the phrase continues to appear in contemporary American culture, demonstrating its lasting impact.
In Film and Literature
The phrase has been used as the title for creative works dealing with Native American experiences, including a 2009 independent Western film directed by Kevin Willmott[16] and a 2020 horror novel by Native American author Stephen Graham Jones.[14] These works often seek to reclaim and critique the phrase's violent history.
In Quentin Tarantino's 2019 film "Once Upon a Time in Hollywood," the phrase appears in a scene featuring Leonardo DiCaprio's character, provoking laughter from non-Native audiences while causing discomfort among Native viewers.[7][11] This contemporary usage demonstrates how the phrase continues to function as a touchpoint for discussions about America's treatment of Native peoples.
Conclusion
The phrase "the only good Indian is a dead Indian" was not invented by Hollywood but instead represents a disturbing historical reality of 19th century America. Born in the violent context of western expansion and conflicts with Native tribes, it was first documented in congressional testimony, became widely attributed to General Sheridan (though he denied it), and evolved into a common American saying that reflected and reinforced prevailing attitudes toward Native Americans.
Its persistence in American culture from the 1860s through the 1950s and into the present day demonstrates how deeply entrenched anti-Native sentiment became in American consciousness. The phrase serves as a stark reminder of the genocidal ideologies that shaped much of U.S. policy toward Indigenous peoples, ideologies whose consequences continue to reverberate through American society today.
Citations:
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[4] Did John Wayne ever really say "The only good indian is a dead ... https://www.reddit.com/r/Westerns/comments/u2zyy4/did_john_wayne_ever_really_say_the_only_good/
[5] I watched John Ford's classic The Searchers last night. This movie is ... https://www.reddit.com/r/movies/comments/fpcgfc/i_watched_john_fords_classic_the_searchers_last/
[6] The Only Good Indian (2009) - IMDb https://www.imdb.com/title/tt1078917/
[7] Tarantino's 'dead Indians' and the roots of American violence https://main.aisc.ucla.edu/2019/08/09/indian-country-today-tarantinos-dead-indians-and-the-roots-of-american-violence/
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