Happy 4th: Ben & Jerry’s Acknowledges Stolen Indigenous Land in the US

Left-wing ice cream maker says US must make amends, starting with giving back Mt. Rushmore

On Independence Day, Ben & Jerry’s made a bold statement, declaring that the United States exists on stolen land that must be returned, beginning with Mount Rushmore.

“This 4th of July, it’s high time we recognize that the US exists on stolen Indigenous land and commit to returning it,” the ice cream brand tweeted on the national holiday.

The company went even further on its website, stating that traditional Independence Day celebrations can “distract” from “an essential truth.”

“Ah, the Fourth of July. Who doesn’t love a good parade, some tasty barbecue, and a stirring fireworks display,” the Vermont-based company said. “The only problem with all that, though, is that it can distract from an essential truth about this nation’s birth: The US was founded on stolen Indigenous land.”

The company firmly believes that the United States must take the first step towards justice by returning Mount Rushmore and the surrounding National Park land in South Dakota to tribal communities.

Twitter users responded by suggesting that Ben and Jerry’s should follow their own call to action. “Sounds like it’s time for Ben and Jerry to donate 100% of their profits to indigenous people,” one user said.

“Lead by example. What locations are you going to give back to the rightful owners of our land?” another replied.

This is not the first time the ice cream maker has courted controversy. In 2021, they announced that they would stop selling their ice cream in the West Bank and East Jerusalem due to inconsistency with their values. However, the parent company of Ben & Jerry’s overruled that decision, stating that “anti-Semitism has no place in any society.”

The company also shows support for left-wing activist Colin Kaepernick through the sale of a non-dairy ice cream flavor featuring his image called “Change the Whirled.”

Furthermore, the company was implicated in a February New York Times exposé that revealed migrant children are involved in the milk processing for the company’s ice cream.

A Ben & Jerry’s official defended these practices to the Times, stating that “if migrant children needed to work full time, it was preferable for them to have jobs at a well-monitored workplace.”