Beyoncé slammed for shirt calling Native Americans ‘enemies of peace’
Why Beyoncé is being accused of villainising Native Americans
- Beyoncé is facing criticism for a T-shirt worn during a Juneteenth performance on her ‘Cowboy Carter’ tour, featuring images of the Buffalo Soldiers, Black US Army units active in the late 1800s and early 1900s.
- The controversy arises from a description on the shirt that labels "warring Indians" and "Mexican revolutionaries" as "enemies of peace, order and settlement".
- Critics, including Indigenous influencers, argue the language villainises Native Americans and Mexican revolutionaries, promoting anti-Indigenous sentiment.
- Historians acknowledge the complex role of the Buffalo Soldiers, noting their involvement in the US Army's violent campaigns against Indigenous peoples during westward expansion.
- A publicist for Beyoncé has not responded to requests for comment regarding the backlash, which has gained significant attention on social media.