Jane McCrea's 1777 Death Transformed into Revolutionary Propaganda and Anti-Indigenous Symbol

In 1777, Jane McCrea, a young woman of Scottish and Irish descent, was killed near Fort Edward, New York, during the American Revolution. While historical accounts vary on the exact circumstances, she was captured by Native American warriors allied with British forces and died. Her death was rapidly exploited by patriot propagandists, who portrayed her as an innocent martyr to galvanize support against the British and their Indigenous allies. Throughout the 19th century, her story was weaponized to fuel anti-Native sentiment and justify westward expansion. Artworks, poems, and historical narratives perpetuated a simplified, dramatized version of her killing, which served as a tool for racism and political agendas long after the war.