Jack Black said he deleted a social media post showing Sen. Elizabeth Warren edited onto Mount Rushmore after criticism surrounding the monument’s history with Native Americans.
The actor confirmed on Wednesday that he deleted an Instagram post featuring him wearing a shirt with the modified Mount Rushmore design, according to the Hollywood Reporter. The shirt designer, Built by Wendy, had asked Black to delete the post after “negative responses” about the image.
“I respected their wishes,” Black said about the internet outrage. “I think Elizabeth Warren would be a great president. She’s the smartest candidate in the race. She speaks with the most clarity regarding the big structural change needed to make government work for everyone. I endorse her campaign and hope to be celebrating her victory in November!”
Followers of the actor criticized the monument for hurting Native Americans. Activists have called Mount Rushmore is a monument to “hubris and deeply rooted racism.” Their argument is that the sculpture was an intrusion on sacred ground for Native Americans.
Black endorsed Warren earlier this week, saying, “I’m all-in.” The Massachusetts Democrat, who is vying to take on President Trump in November’s general election, has her own controversial history with Native Americans after she claimed she has Native American heritage.
A letter sent Wednesday by 200 Cherokees and other Native Americans slammed Warren over the incident, demanding she “fully address the harm” of her claim despite having already apologized for it.
“Whatever your intentions, your actions have normalized white people claiming to be Native and perpetuated a dangerous misunderstanding of tribal sovereignty,” the group said. “Your actions do not exist in a vacuum but are part of a long and violent history.”
In response, Warren apologized again and said, “My incorrect identification as Native was loaded, given the history.”
