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#Post#: 24348--------------------------------------------------
Stripping the name of Laura Ingalls Wilder from a children’s lit
erature award causing anger
By: MyLady Date: August 8, 2018, 2:37 pm
---------------------------------------------------------
Stripping the name of Laura Ingalls Wilder from a children’s
literature award causing anger
When the Association for Library Service to Children, which
gives out the “Laura Ingalls Wilder Award” every year, announced
that the author’s name would from now on be removed from the
prestigious book prize, it touched a nerve.
“This decision was made in consideration of the fact that
Wilder’s legacy, as represented by her body of work, includes
expressions of stereotypical attitudes inconsistent with ALSC’s
core values of inclusiveness, integrity, and respect, and
responsiveness,” said the organization, which gives the award to
authors whose work has made a lasting impact on the world of
children’s literature.
The honor will now be known as the Children’s Literature Legacy
Award.
Wilder’s Little House on the Prairie series, written in the
1930s, definitely made an impact on generations of readers. The
books were cherished in many American homes when they were first
published, and later given as gifts from mother to daughter,
and then grandmother to granddaughter.
The Little House series was based on Wilder’s life and told the
story of her farmer parents and siblings, the Ingalls, as they
moved around the Great Plains in the late 19th century. The
young settler family was poor and often on the move: from
Wisconsin to Missouri to Kansas.
Laura Ingalls became a teacher at age 16 in one-room
schoolhouses, marrying Almanzo Wilder, whose settler family
suffered hardship in South Dakota. They had one daughter, Rose
(who later became a professional writer). Laura Ingalls Wilder
herself became a newspaper columnist in 1911; the family would
be wiped out financially by the Great Depression.
The Little House books achieved even greater fame when they were
made into a popular TV series, starring Melissa Gilbert and
Michael Landon, running for nine years in the 1970s and 1980s.
The reason the award’s name was changed was that in her 1930s
novels, Wilder was said to have referred to Native Americans and
African Americans in terms considered offensive or insensitive.
The main character in the book says about the family’s move to
Kansas: “…there were no people there. Only Indians lived there.”
This is the passage that many critics find most offensive.
However, during her lifetime, Wilder agreed to people’s
objections to that sentence and it was changed in later editions
to “…there were no settlers there.” She said in a letter in
1952: “It was a stupid blunder of mine. Of course, Indians are
people and I did not intend to imply they were not.”
The books have been considered hallmarks of American literature
for children for decades. Time magazine ranked the series as 22
out of 100 of the “100 Best Young Adult Books of All Time.” Five
of the books have been Honor Books for the Newberry Medal.
Wilder died on February 10, 1957. In her last decade, she was
receiving hundreds of letters every month from children, which
she answered.
“Updating the award’s name should not be construed as
censorship, as we are not demanding that anyone stop reading
Wilder’s books, talking about them or making them available to
children,” the ALSC said.
However, defenders of Wilder have decried the name change as
censorship and unfair. One wrote: “Rather than being anti-Native
and anti-Black, Wilder’s works lead readers of all ages to
ponder important truths about American history…Moreover, it
sullies Wilder’s literary reputation and creates a slippery
slope for excising all literature that doesn’t adhere to a
strict definition of ‘inclusivity,’ whether or not that
inclusivity accurately reflects American history.”
A USA Today columnist wrote: “Yes, there are sentiments in the
Wilder books that are concerning. Laura’s adored father wears
blackface, and a couple, the Scotts, in ‘Little House on the
Prairie,’ seems to hate Native Americans, with the husband
saying at one point, ‘The only good Indian is a dead Indian.’ …
But delve into the books themselves and there’s nuance. Wilder
writes, after the ‘dead Indian’ quote, that ‘Pa said he didn’t
know about that. He figured that Indians would be as peaceable
as anybody else if they were left alone.’ ”
Wilder also attributes the lives of herself, her sisters, and
her parents being saved by the intervention of an
African-American doctor in one of the books.
One celebrity who spoke out was William Shatner, who said on
Twitter: “Did you hear about the Laura Ingalls Wilder Award
being renamed over negative lines on the indigenous peoples of
America? Laura changed the lines in the 50s. I find it
disturbing that some take modern opinion & obliterate the past.
Isn’t progress @ learning from our mistakes?”
Shatner was then widely attacked on Twitter for expressing his
views, and told by some in academia he should “stay in his lane”
and his opinions did not matter.
[font=sans-serif]The Washington Post [/font]wrote that the ALSC
decision “makes Wilder the latest target of efforts to purge
from the cultural landscape symbols that honor historical
figures who owned slaves, espoused racist views, or engaged in
racist practices.”
#Post#: 24374--------------------------------------------------
Re: Stripping the name of Laura Ingalls Wilder from a children’s
literature award causing anger
By: ImInIt Date: August 8, 2018, 6:50 pm
---------------------------------------------------------
Lets change every bit of history just to be sure no one can ever
be offended. idiots
#Post#: 24394--------------------------------------------------
Re: Stripping the name of Laura Ingalls Wilder from a children’s
literature award causing anger
By: BuzzQueen Date: August 8, 2018, 9:47 pm
---------------------------------------------------------
An award's name is being changed. While I don't necessarily
agree with the reasoning as to "why", it's not my award. The
books aren't being held or removed. Let's be happy for that?
There are many challenged books, even today. Let's focus on that
rather than whether an author should or shouldn't be named on an
award.
This was voted on by librarians - let them have their win.
Frankly, I don't imagine that many heard of the Wilder Medal or
even ALSC prior to this. This is one of those that I feel the
general population just needs to "let it go".
[quote author=Sansa link=topic=1594.msg24348#msg24348
date=1533757066]
Stripping the name of Laura Ingalls Wilder from a children’s
literature award causing anger (I mean who even heard of the
"Wilder Medal" or even "ACLC") is really silly and misplaced
rage. This was voted on by librarians. Let them have this win.
When the Association for Library Service to Children, which
gives out the “Laura Ingalls Wilder Award” every year, announced
that the author’s name would from now on be removed from the
prestigious book prize, it touched a nerve.
“This decision was made in consideration of the fact that
Wilder’s legacy, as represented by her body of work, includes
expressions of stereotypical attitudes inconsistent with ALSC’s
core values of inclusiveness, integrity, and respect, and
responsiveness,” said the organization, which gives the award to
authors whose work has made a lasting impact on the world of
children’s literature.
The honor will now be known as the Children’s Literature Legacy
Award.
Wilder’s Little House on the Prairie series, written in the
1930s, definitely made an impact on generations of readers. The
books were cherished in many American homes when they were first
published, and later given as gifts from mother to daughter,
and then grandmother to granddaughter.
The Little House series was based on Wilder’s life and told the
story of her farmer parents and siblings, the Ingalls, as they
moved around the Great Plains in the late 19th century. The
young settler family was poor and often on the move: from
Wisconsin to Missouri to Kansas.
Laura Ingalls became a teacher at age 16 in one-room
schoolhouses, marrying Almanzo Wilder, whose settler family
suffered hardship in South Dakota. They had one daughter, Rose
(who later became a professional writer). Laura Ingalls Wilder
herself became a newspaper columnist in 1911; the family would
be wiped out financially by the Great Depression.
The Little House books achieved even greater fame when they were
made into a popular TV series, starring Melissa Gilbert and
Michael Landon, running for nine years in the 1970s and 1980s.
The reason the award’s name was changed was that in her 1930s
novels, Wilder was said to have referred to Native Americans and
African Americans in terms considered offensive or insensitive.
The main character in the book says about the family’s move to
Kansas: “…there were no people there. Only Indians lived there.”
This is the passage that many critics find most offensive.
However, during her lifetime, Wilder agreed to people’s
objections to that sentence and it was changed in later editions
to “…there were no settlers there.” She said in a letter in
1952: “It was a stupid blunder of mine. Of course, Indians are
people and I did not intend to imply they were not.”
The books have been considered hallmarks of American literature
for children for decades. Time magazine ranked the series as 22
out of 100 of the “100 Best Young Adult Books of All Time.” Five
of the books have been Honor Books for the Newberry Medal.
Wilder died on February 10, 1957. In her last decade, she was
receiving hundreds of letters every month from children, which
she answered.
“Updating the award’s name should not be construed as
censorship, as we are not demanding that anyone stop reading
Wilder’s books, talking about them or making them available to
children,” the ALSC said.
However, defenders of Wilder have decried the name change as
censorship and unfair. One wrote: “Rather than being anti-Native
and anti-Black, Wilder’s works lead readers of all ages to
ponder important truths about American history…Moreover, it
sullies Wilder’s literary reputation and creates a slippery
slope for excising all literature that doesn’t adhere to a
strict definition of ‘inclusivity,’ whether or not that
inclusivity accurately reflects American history.”
A USA Today columnist wrote: “Yes, there are sentiments in the
Wilder books that are concerning. Laura’s adored father wears
blackface, and a couple, the Scotts, in ‘Little House on the
Prairie,’ seems to hate Native Americans, with the husband
saying at one point, ‘The only good Indian is a dead Indian.’ …
But delve into the books themselves and there’s nuance. Wilder
writes, after the ‘dead Indian’ quote, that ‘Pa said he didn’t
know about that. He figured that Indians would be as peaceable
as anybody else if they were left alone.’ ”
Wilder also attributes the lives of herself, her sisters, and
her parents being saved by the intervention of an
African-American doctor in one of the books.
One celebrity who spoke out was William Shatner, who said on
Twitter: “Did you hear about the Laura Ingalls Wilder Award
being renamed over negative lines on the indigenous peoples of
America? Laura changed the lines in the 50s. I find it
disturbing that some take modern opinion & obliterate the past.
Isn’t progress @ learning from our mistakes?”
Shatner was then widely attacked on Twitter for expressing his
views, and told by some in academia he should “stay in his lane”
and his opinions did not matter.
[font=sans-serif]The Washington Post[/font] wrote that the ALSC
decision “makes Wilder the latest target of efforts to purge
from the cultural landscape symbols that honor historical
figures who owned slaves, espoused racist views, or engaged in
racist practices.”
[/quote]
#Post#: 24418--------------------------------------------------
Re: Stripping the name of Laura Ingalls Wilder from a children’s
literature award causing anger
By: hotspice58 Date: August 9, 2018, 9:30 am
---------------------------------------------------------
Or keep the name and make it known that there are racist and
white supremacist statements... which is party of history of
this country.
#Post#: 25067--------------------------------------------------
Re: Stripping the name of Laura Ingalls Wilder from a children’s
literature award causing anger
By: Aletheia Date: August 13, 2018, 8:10 pm
---------------------------------------------------------
Are there any native americans demanding her name be removed, or
is this someone deciding to be offended on their behalf?
#Post#: 25082--------------------------------------------------
Re: Stripping the name of Laura Ingalls Wilder from a children’s
literature award causing anger
By: blackbird74 Date: August 13, 2018, 8:57 pm
---------------------------------------------------------
We can not rewrite history but we can learn from it. I remember
reading these books and others as a kid. Honestly it taught me
empathy, I knew it was wrong and I learned from it
Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk
#Post#: 26758--------------------------------------------------
Re: Stripping the name of Laura Ingalls Wilder from a children’s
literature award causing anger
By: Highpockets Date: August 27, 2018, 5:41 pm
---------------------------------------------------------
This is kind of ridiculous. You have to take into account the
context of the time in which they were written. I loved those
books.
#Post#: 27525--------------------------------------------------
Re: Stripping the name of Laura Ingalls Wilder from a children’s
literature award causing anger
By: ILive4This Date: September 5, 2018, 8:49 am
---------------------------------------------------------
Their award, their right. The books aren't being banned. Small
potatoes.
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