A Texas-based community newspaper was uploading excerpts from the Declaration of Independence to Facebook in order to encourage historical literacy among its readers.
However, part 10 didn’t appear and the media company received a notification saying the post went against its standards on hate speech. At issue was a part of it that referred to “merciless Indian savages.”
“Unfortunately, Jefferson, like most British colonists of his day, did not hold an entirely friendly view of Native Americans,” editor Casey Stinnett wrote afterward of the offending paragraph.
The newspaper later confirmed that Facebook had had a change of heart and apologized.
“It looks like we made a mistake and removed something you posted on Facebook that didn’t go against our community standards,” the company told the Vindicator.
