MUSCATINE — This year’s Fourth of July Parade in Muscatine left some spectators surprised and confused by a final entry: A woman on horseback, holding a rope binding the wrists of a woman in Native American dress who followed behind.
Megan Burton, the woman on the horse, said Wednesday that the two were portraying history in support of Cherokee National Treasure, which recognizes and honors distinguished Cherokees.
She said that she and Jenna Nicole, the woman who appeared to be portraying a Native American slave, are of Native American descent.
Burton also described Nicole's role as ground support, saying she was to use the rope to help control the horse in the event it was spooked. Safety of the riders and the horses was also cited by Burton as the reason why no signs or logos identified her association with Cherokee National Treasure.
She said the group has appeared in previous parades.
The parade entry was met with considerable confusion and outrage on social media sites, including Facebook.
Hundreds of commenters on dozens of posts asked for context, wondering what the entry was supposed to portray. Was it a disapproving commentary on white man's treatment of Indigenous people? Was it an endorsement of that treatment?
Whatever the message, the Greater Muscatine Chamber of Commerce and Industry, which hosts the parade, did not approve.
The chamber, in a statement, said it "does not condone this behavior and this entry does not represent our community. ... We can assure the community this will not happen again.“
Brad Bark, the mayor of Muscatine and the chamber’s president and CEO, said he spoke to the group following the parade. Those involved, he said, said it was their intention to pay homage to the Cherokee Nation and how unjustly they were treated.
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July 06, 2023 at 10:51PM
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Outrage, confusion follow Muscatine parade entry of woman in Native American dress pulled by a rope - The Gazette
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