An interesting look at turn of the century mindsets

1901 was an interesting time for the nation. It was just 11 years removed from the "last Indian battle" as some termed it, the Wounded Knee Massacre as others termed it...any way you look at it, the tragic events at Wounded Knee in 1890 were the last gasp of the "Indian Wars". After that time there were no more battles between the various tribes and the U.S. Government, at least, none on the battlefield...they all took place in the court room and the court of public opinion after that.

There was backlash even then against the circumstances that surround Wounded Knee. To this day the true account has remained hidden. One suspects there is more truth to the side that has it as the 7th Cavalry getting Vengeance for the Battle of the Little Big Horn AKA Custer's Last Stand side as the set-up of Gatling guns against mostly disarmed, sick, freezing captives hardly seems like a fair battle...and the country had objected even then to the treatment. Still, the country had certain fears...okay, in some areas, perhaps a vicarious thrill...about the possibility of another "Indian uprising".

Native Americans were rather visible. Buffalo Bill had the most famous but certainly not the only traveling "Wild West" show in which Native Americans performed, often in "wagon train attack" scenarios that presented them as talented, vicious fighters who would attack out of nowhere. This kept the legend of the violent nature of the Native Americans alive even as it did so in a "safe" setting for the spectators. Certainly it kept them aware of the deadly possibilities of "Indian attacks" whether those were still possible or not.

Especially interesting is the fact that even in that world an "Indian" was still more acceptable to many portions of our society than a black man. Evidence comes from a very interesting source...baseball. John McGraw had found a talented player. He wanted to bring him onto the Baltimore Orioles. However, he had a problem. The public might or might not accept Charlie Grant...but it was certain the owners would not. You see, Grant had a problem. He was black.

So McGraw did what he could to make Grant more palatable to the owners. He announced the signing of "Chief Tokohama". And everybody was fine with it. After all, Chief was just the nickname given to many Native American ballplayers. Perhaps the most famous was Chief Bender who pitched in the World Series. But the presence of Native Americans in professional baseball was hardly unusual or unprecedented. The Cleveland Indians got their nickname in honor of Native American star baseball player called Louis "Chief" Sockalexis who played in the 19th Century. That would be the 1890s for those paying attention...right around the time of Wounded Knee and following it. It is interesting to note that even during the "Indian Wars" there were elements of U.S. society perfectly willing to accept Native Americans as baseball players, performers in the Wild West shows...and even as speakers (remember Sitting Bear and his speaking tours?)

Well, unfortunately for the future of Grant, McGraw, the National League, and our society, Charlie Comiskey, owner of the White Sox (and the guy Comiskey Park in Chicago is named for...) found out that Grant was not, in fact, a Native American...he was black. So Comiskey did what he had to do...he put together a package to keep Chief Tokohama aka Charlie Grant out of baseball. Grant would have been fine had he just had the good grace to be born Indian but since he was black...well, we couldn't have that. Thanks, Comiskey, thanks for nothing.

But it does say a lot about our society that as far back as 1901 it was okay to be an Indian, just not to be black. I wonder how far we have come...