A Shared Destiny

In 1830, amid controversy and opposition, President Andrew Jackson signed the Indian Removal Act, forcibly moving thousands of Native Americans to reservations west of the Mississippi River. Jackson’s goal was to “separate the Indians from immediate contact with settlements of whites,” claiming, “the policy of the Government toward the red man is not only liberal, but generous.” The struggles of Native Americans transcends time, and can be connected to the continual hardship, injustice, and discrimination experienced today. (Original images courtesy Library of Congress.)