Begging your indulgence,  I wish to offer a couple of observations
on this topic:  
Most groups of Indians of North America had defended territory through strength
and alliances.  This had made many groups into warrior cultures.
The author of "The Damned Human Race" might not be more prejudiced against
 one group of humans than against another, but maybe he presumes to
judge warrior cultures to be less defensible.  Twain's Indian characters are drawn
as individuals, not as group analysis.  One may be a crazy killer  such as Injun Joe
 or  "a Pi Ute Injun I used to know in Tulare County; mighty good fellow" as in 
"Capt. Stormfield."  
From other stories, we know Twain was not an admirer of warrior culture.   
And the Indians, by most of them not having a written language, would have
had less ways to repair their alienation in Twain's era. They may have seemed
especially strange to him. 
Thanks for Your patience.
Mike
 
> Date: Sun, 24 Apr 2011 11:50:26 -0500
> From: [log in to unmask]
> Subject: Re: A Prejudice against Indians
> To: [log in to unmask]
> 
> Steve makes a very good point.
> 
> But it's sometimes hard to tell where satire ends and genuine prejudice 
> begins. Unsophisticated readers have this problem with Huckleberry Finn, but 
> a similar problem arises when reading Twain's public writings versus his 
> letters and annotations in his books. Twain, of course, was well-aware that 
> others would read his library annotations, and he also knew that his letters 
> would often be published, with or without his permission.
> 
> On the subject of Indians, I can give two examples from late in his life, 
> the first being some annotations in a book from his library; the second a 
> letter he wrote to an author, knowing that it would probably be used to puff 
> the author's book.
> 
> In Natalie Curtis Burlin's THE INDIANS' BOOK... NY: Harper, 1907, Twain 
> wrote on the inside front cover: "A book made & illustrated/ by Indians./ SL 
> Clemens/ 1907/ November/ 21 Fifth Ave." The book was a beautiful 
> production, full of lore, music, and narratives by American Indians, 
> celebrating their culture and art. It is a book still admired and widely 
> collected today. This book, published by Harper Brothers, was probably sent 
> to Twain by the publisher, who regularly sent him their publications at that 
> period. Opposite page 98, above the portrait of a Pawnee chief or warrior in 
> full ceremonial dress with bear-claw necklace and a striking feathered and 
> big-beaked head-dress, Twain wrote "My, but he is wickedly handsome!" The 
> book is 574pp. but Twain only opened pp. i-x, 32-45, 99-114, and 243-46, 
> mostly sections on western tribes. The condition of the book and his sparse 
> comments would seem to indicate he took little interest in the fascinating 
> contents, and I'll leave it others to decide if his annotations are snarky, 
> condescending, or admiring..
> 
> But another book about Indians certainly captured his interest in 1909. 
> Oscar G Wall's RECOLLECTIONS OF THE SIOUX MASSACRE provoked a letter of 
> endorsement from Twain dated Nov 8, 1909, that reads: "Mr O G Wall-- Dear 
> Sir: I find your history of the Great Massacre blood-curdlingly & most 
> pathetically interesting. I am able to [the word "repeat" crossed out] 
> endorse General Hubbard's compliment & highly commend the literary 
> excellence of the book. Very truly yours SL. Clemens." This letter was 
> reprinted in facsimile in blood red ink as an advertising flyer for Wall's 
> book. Judging from the wording, I'd assume Twain knew or suspected it might 
> be used this way --although he probably didn't know they'd use red ink. I 
> have not read a text of General Hubbard's "compliment."
> 
> Whatever evolutions took place in Twain's thinking about other races and 
> nationalities, I'd suppose from the above (admittedly slight) evidence that 
> even in his very last years Twain was more interested in reading stories of 
> Indian depredations than acquainting himself with the positive aspects of 
> their literature, art, music, and culture. But I'd love to see more 
> evidence, and learn otherwise.
> 
> Kevin
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