Click the cover to see it at full size.
Here’s what the artist, Bruce McCall, had to say about the cover:
“This is 2014, and it seems a little late to be dealing with that stuff. It should have been quashed a long time ago. We did everything to the Indians that we could, and it’s still going on. It seems crude and callous. Names like the Atlanta Braves come from another time. So, in my cover, I’ve brought the cultural arrogance of one side back to the sixteen-hundreds and the first Thanksgiving dinner, just to see what would happen.”
“This is 2014, and it seems a little late to be dealing with that stuff. It should have been quashed a long time ago” could just as easily be the slogan for Ferguson.
Some bonus viewing: In case you haven’t seen it yet, here’s one of The Daily Show’s best segments, where they look at the Washington NFL team’s die-hard don’t-change-the-names fans and even arrange for them to meet with native Americans:
One reply on “I love the New Yorker’s Thanksgiving cover!”
Racial stereotypes and historical innacuracies have been as traditional a Thanksgiving fixture as melt in you mouth. candied yams and marshmallow, though nowadays not quite as easy to swallow.
American mythology about that first Thanksgiving would have us believe that once that last slice of pumpkin pie was devoured, a peace pipe was smoked and the happy Pilgrims and contented Indians lived happily ever after.
Along with our school books, mid century advertising served up a heap big helping of offensive stereotypes
Check out this mid century ad for Statler Hotels where we are introduced to Pilgrim Pete and his tomahawk wielding pal.
http://envisioningtheamericandream.com/2014/11/25/pilgrims-progress/