Laura Ingalls Wilder: Truth for the Time

Have you heard the latest outrage in the world of books and publishing?

Beloved children’s author, Laura Ingalls Wilder—turns out she’s something of a racist. Strange but true. The Association for Library Service to Children (ALSC) has deemed it to be so, in keeping with the current popular mantra that pretty much everyone these days is racist if they hold fast to traditional American values.

 Who knew!

The book award that the ALSC created over 60 years ago bearing Mrs. Wilder’s name no longer can because a scant handful of references in her Little House books have been tagged as racist towards certain minorities she came in contact with as a little girl in the 1880s.

Formerly hailed as a great classic of children’s literature, celebrating faith, family, hard work, perseverance, and American patriotism, parents are being warned against them. Her name is blackened. The award is stripped from her. And all because she told the truth as she experienced it. She wrote an historical fiction memoir based upon firsthand accounts of a major part of American history from the perspective of a child living through it. Why is that wrong?

The Laura Ingalls Wilder Home Association wonders about that, too.

Statement from the Laura Ingalls Wilder Home Association—Office of the Director:

The Laura Ingalls Wilder Home Association wishes to voice its disappointment in the recent action of the Association for Library Service to Children (ALSC). Many believe that Mrs. Wilder’s famous “Little House” books are American treasures and she should be honored as their author.

Mrs. Wilder believed her books to be historically accurate and reflect American life during the Western Movement. However difficult it may be to agree with social mores within these years, the fact remains that was a different time and what was accepted then would not be today. Mrs. Wilder was writing a historical account of her childhood to inform today’s children how proud they may be in their heritage and their nation.

Hmmm. Being proud of one’s heritage and nation. Not real popular these days in some media streams. What crazy times we live in where being proud of our heritage and nation is controversial.

But, true to the time in which she lived, Laura referred to Native Americans as Indians. Most historical fiction books of the time do. Even the Indians called themselves Indians. There is also some concern over her unfiltered childlike reaction at seeing a black person for the first time. Not quite the way we’re supposed to be speaking these days.

And therein lies the problem.

Do you write historical fiction? Do you write personal memoir or autobiography? Are you true to the time you are writing about? Or, do you fear negative repercussions if you don’t manipulate historical norms to fit contemporary trends in thought, word, and deed?

I’ve read all nine of the Little House books and loved every one. Mrs. Wilder painted sticky images in my mind of bygone times with precise details. Even though it has been many years since reading them, there are passages that left an impression so deep, I can still recall them, fascinated at how my imagination stirred with a desire to learn more about history.

I enjoyed teaching Little House in the Big Woods to a homeschool group a few years ago, leading young hearts and minds through some favorite passages: the maple syrup chapter, Pa’s bear story, Mary’s birthday, and the fact that Laura could name every tree and plant that grew in and around her home as a very little child, as though they were dear friends. What a wondrous childhood filled with worthy life lessons and experiences modern children rarely enjoy amid all the hyper distractions of today.

Times have changed. I am heartily sorry that those seeking to re-write history have chosen such a literary icon as Laura Ingalls Wilder to pick on.

In the mid-20^th century, and for decades later, librarians lauded the works of Laura Ingalls Wilder for her honest storytelling of an American family living through the highs and lows of a defining moment in our national history, unfiltered by a political agenda. Not so much anymore. These days, one candid remark on social media can cost a person their livelihood and open their life to unforgiving abuse. It is a toxic environment for writers seeking to speak truth.

As Christians, publishing an unpopular message or controversial fictional story in an historical setting, we should not allow ourselves to be bullied into writing politically correct words that are untrue to ourselves and history. The Word of God should be the only arbiter of truth and the plumbline standard for our words. Some may take offense. Some may twist our meaning and motivation out of proportion, accusing us of unjustified things. If so, we are in good company. With the likes of Jesus.

And our own Laura Ingalls Wilder, it would seem.

Next month, I continue musing on this topic and share some words of wisdom from Laura’s pen to encourage the Christian writer of today.

 Journal Prompt: How true to yourself are you when writing in your journal? Is it messy? Is it whitewashed? In your historical fiction, are you bullied by contemporary politically correct culture that often skews the lens through which you experienced something in order to satisfy a trendy group-think? In essence, re-writing history? Where have you seen this type of manipulation in historical fiction? In memoir? In some contemporary biblical narratives?

#Laura Ingalls Wilder: Truth for the Time—keeping the history in historical fiction and period memoir; Women Writers in Life and Letters Series @A3writers @misskathypwp Share on X #Women Writers in Life and Letters—Laura Ingalls Wilder: Truth for the Time @A3writers @misskathypwp Share on X

Writer-speaker, Kathryn Ross, ignites a love of literature and learning through Pageant Wagon Publishing. She writes and publishes homeschool enrichment and Christian living books for home, church, and school. In addition, she shepherds writers through the steps book development and production. Her passion to equip women and families in developing a Family Literacy Lifestyle, produces readers and thinkers who can engage the world from a biblical worldview. She blogs and podcasts at TheWritersReverie.com and PageantWagonPublishing.com. Connect with Miss Kathy on Facebook.