A descendant of Ponca chief Standing Bear demands that Harvard return a hatchet that Standing Bear gave away in gratitude.

We know that the US committed many injustices against Standing Bear and the rest of the Poncas, as it did to many other indigenous Americans. Only a fraction of them are mentioned in the article.

However, none of that invalidates Standing Bear's gift of the hatchet to Webster, who had defended his right to be considered human. That was a valid gift, and so (as far as we know) was Webster's gift of the hatchet to Harvard. Thus, I conclude that Chapman's argument is invalid and Harvard should keep the hatchet.

Displaying the hatchet in a museum can teach Americans about what indigenous Americans had to do to claim human rights in the United States.