A Smithsonian museum in Manhattan is presenting a critical portrayal of George Washington and the Revolutionary War, with some observers arguing that crucial historical context is either omitted or downplayed. The National Museum of the American Indian features an exhibit that labels George Washington as a "town destroyer," a term attributed to the Haudenosaunee (Iroquois) people.
One display includes an illustration of Washington's profile with a label reading "town destroyer." The accompanying text explains that "American armies destroyed 40 Haudenosaunee (Iroquois) towns and burned their harvests while residents fled." It notes that the Haudenosaunee continue to refer to Washington and all U.S. presidents by the name "Hanadahguyus," meaning "town destroyer."
However, the exhibit does not mention the raids on American settlements that preceded Washington's campaign or provide context for his order to attack. According to an excerpt from the National Park Service, the American destruction of the Six Nations' homelands was a response to destructive raids carried out by Native tribes and American Loyalists on the frontiers of New York and Pennsylvania in 1778. These raids aimed to cripple the American Continental Army by depriving it of food and manpower and to spread terror by destroying frontier settlements and taking prisoners.
The exhibit's focus on Native American suffering and its framing of the Revolutionary War are part of a broader discussion surrounding the Smithsonian Institution's presentation of American history. The Trump administration had previously ordered a review of the institution's exhibits and educational materials, citing concerns about an overly negative portrayal of the country's past.
Critics have argued that some exhibits emphasize the alleged brutality of American settlers while giving less prominence to the violence perpetrated by Native tribes. For instance, one placard describing the history of the Iroquois between 1779 and 1804 from the perspective of a Native woman states it was peaceful until "white men began their revolution." This overlooks the approximately 100-year period between 1609 and 1701 during which the Iroquois were engaged in conflicts with other Native tribes over access to animal pelts.
This approach mirrors criticisms leveled at the National Museum of the American Indian in Washington, D.C., in the past. A 2010 New York Times critique described the museum as an "identity museum" that "jettisons Western scholarship and tells its own story," portraying an "impossibly peace-loving, harmonious, homogeneous, pastoral world that preceded the invasion of white people."
Educational materials available online for middle school students also appear to adopt a similar editorial line. A video instructed for teachers to show students begins by stating that "the American War for independence was such a disruptive and dangerous project," framing the actions of American colonists as those of trespassers and squatters.
The museum's gift shop further highlights critical perspectives, with titles such as "An Indigenous Peoples’ History of the United States" prominently displayed. This book is noted for criticizing the U.S. Constitution, suggesting the nation was founded on White supremacy and genocide, and claiming the federal government continues ethnic cleansing against Native peoples. Adaptations for younger readers and other books focusing on indigenous slavery and gender identity were also available.