By: Hellen Zaboulani

New York State Gov. Kathy Hochul announced during her State of the State address last Tuesday that she will order a review of artwork in the State Capitol, which may depict Native Americans in offensive ways.  While speaking of policy proposals for the upcoming year, the governor vowed to look into art on display, which may glorify violence against Indigenous people, and to come up with a plan on how to deal with it.

“All New Yorkers should feel welcome and respected when visiting the State Capitol. Unfortunately, offensive imagery and distasteful representations of populations in the art which adorns the Capitol can alienate visitors,” Hochul wrote in her 180-page 2024 State of the State policy book.  “Indigenous peoples, in particular, are often depicted in artworks in a manner that reflects harmful racial stereotypes and glorifies violence against Indigenous peoples. Such depictions do not reflect the values of New York State,” said the governor.

As reported by the NY Times, just outside the governor’s executive office in the State Capitol there is a controversial century-old mural showing the French explorer Samuel Champlain victorious in combat, with a caption that says, “Champlain Killing First Indian.”  The artwork is located on the ceiling of the second floor in the governor’s reception room, also known as the War Room– for its many battle artworks.  Mrs. Hochul and her top lawyer, Liz Fine, said they were unfamiliar with that artwork in the governor’s reception room, but said they would look into it.   Hochul also said the “offensive artistic representations of Indigenous peoples” are informed by “precedent more than eighty years old” and it’s time for a reassessment.

The move to review the paintings comes amid a broadening introspection of American treatment towards nonwhite people.  Following the aftermath of the killing of George Floyd by police officers, numerous institutions were confronted with questions about statues that glorify Confederate leaders and explorers who killed without conscience.  In recent years, flags, names of sports teams, village seals and more decorum have been altered in a bid to be more sensitive to Native Americans.  Advocates have long protested artwork in the United States Capitol where Native people have been portrayed fighting, cowering, dying and deceased.

Activists have also been pushing to remove statues of explorer Christopher Columbus from the public square or government buildings over his brutal treatment towards indigenous people.  In New York’s statehouse, the face of Christopher Columbus is etched into the red sandstone of the Million Dollar Staircase.  Also being disputed is a statue, on the east side of the Capitol, of a U.S. Army general, Philip Sheridan.  The general is infamous for a record of barbarism against Native tribes, and for coining the phrase, “the only good Indian is a dead Indian.”

As per the NY Times, Ms. Hochul had a rough start in her relationship with Native groups. In Western NY, she disputed over gambling revenue with the Seneca Nation.  Ultimately, she had prevailed in the clash, and used the funds to pay for the Buffalo Bills’ new stadium.  The governor has also vetoed several pro-Native bills.  Also, the governor appointed Elizabeth Rule, an enrolled member of the Chickasaw Nation, as deputy secretary for First Nations.