I really liked “Killing Custer” because it was an interesting combination of actual historical facts intertwined with the personal connections and stories of the author, James Welch. His portrayal of the Indian Wars and the Native American genocide was horribly sad but eye-opening at the same time. I think the book really helped to expose the other side of the Indian Wars and the truth that has been pushed under the rug for a long time.

During our discussion section I thought it was interesting to hear everyone’s past educational experiences in regards to Native Americans. It seemed that the general consensus was that most predominantly white schools failed to fully educate their students on the true nature of the Indian Wars and the extent of the genocide that occurred. However, I really started thinking when one of the girls in our class said that her predominantly black school had no issue with telling the students exactly what happened and how the Native Americans were almost wiped out by the rest of the Americans. It seems that white people today still associate themselves with the Americans of that time period, and don’t want to publicize what actually happened because they have some type of guilt carried over. However, other racial groups who don’t relate to Custer and the Americans during that era, tell the true story without brushing over the real details. Unfortunately it seems that there is a trend in the United States of trying to downplay our ugly past, including the Native American genocide, slavery, the Japanese internment camps, and countless other instances. I think it is time that we accept our past and stop pretending it didn't happen. We need to start educating our youth about our country's REAL history, regardless if it makes us feel uncomfortable or not.