Universities, school districts nationwide call for ‘decolonizing’ Thanksgiving: ‘Day of mourning’

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As families across the U.S.gather on Thanksgiving to celebrate one of the nation’s most cherished national holidays, some educators and schools are lamenting the day, pushing back on its “colonial” roots, and incorporating diversity, equality and inclusionDEIinto the holiday.

At the University of California, Davis, the California History-Social Science Project, which describes itself as “Resources &professional learning for K-12 history-social science,” hosteda Zoom event called “Decolonizing Thanksgiving in the Classroom.”

“We will discuss reframing classroom practices and rituals about Thanksgiving,” the event description explained.“Centering perspectives from Turtle Island (a name for North America used by some indigenous people) will help us decolonize Thanksgiving and spark new conversations about how to authentically make meaning of this holiday with our students.”

Earlier this month, Washington University in St.Louis, an institution that has long been criticizedover its DEI policies, put out a press release promoting an event that “highlights and honors the way different cultures recognize and understand Thanksgiving, both as part of their history and as a tradition brought into the present day.”

A modern recreation of the first Thanksgiving in the autumn of 1621 at Plimoth Patuxet Museums (formerly Plimoth Plantation) in Plymouth, Massachusetts.(Courtesy of Kathy Tarantola/Plimoth Patuxet Museums)

The event was described as a way to “actively contribute to inclusive and equitable practices that influence individual and systemic change.”

On Tuesday, Massachusetts Institute of Technology students are invited to the “4th annual Thanksgiving Myth-busting” event that is aimed at “continuing our exploration of the narratives justifying land grabs via colonialism” and includes a viewing of the TV show “Buffy the Vampire Slayer.”

Part of that effort, according to the invitation, includes students traveling in rental cars to the National Indigenous Day of Mourning (NDOM) rally in Plymouth, Massachusetts, at the location of the Mayflower’s landing.

“In the same way that individuals are free at MIT to express their views, they are free to observe holidays as they wish, pray as they choose, share their ideas about holidays, and, yes, watch Buffy the Vampire Slayer if that’s what they freely choose to do,” the spokesperson said, adding that “the views expressed by an individual are their own and do not reflect those of MIT or the wider community on campus.”

At the University of Massachusetts, the school referred to Thursday as a “Day of Mourning” in an announcementon its Diversity, Equity, Inclusion and Accessibility website.

“The National Day of Mourning is an annual demonstration, held on the fourth Thursday in November, that aims to educate the public about Native Americans in the United States, notably the Wampanoag and other tribes of the Eastern United States;dispel myths surrounding the Thanksgiving story in the United States;and raise awareness toward historical and ongoing struggles facing Native American tribes,” the announcement says.

UNIVERSITY OF MINNESOTA SITE WARNS OF A ‘WHITENESS PANDEMIC,’ URGES WHITE PARENTS TO ‘RE-EDUCATE’

Family setting the table for Thanksgiving

A family gathers at Thanksgiving around the dinner table.(iStock)

Earlier this month, the University of Maryland School of Public Policy hosted a talkcalled “Harvesting the Truth: Colonial Disruptions of Indigenous Food Systems &the Myths of Thanksgiving.”

Students attending Albuquerque Public Schools in New Mexico were sent a November Indigenous Education updateexplaining that “many native people do not celebrate” Thanksgiving because it is a “reminder of the genocide of millions of Native people, the appropriation of Native lands, and the erasure of Indigenous cultures.”

The school district also referred toThanksgivingas a time of “mourning” for some.

Demonstrators in Michigan protest Trump’s anti-DEI agenda.

Protesters in Michigan rally against President Donald Trump’s anti-DEI policies, denouncing federal rollbacks on diversity, equity, and inclusion programs.(Dominic Gwinn/Getty Images)

The Berkeley Unified School District in California also used the term“mourning” in its “Rethinking Thanksgiving Teaching Guide” while asking the community to consider the “painful legacy” and “nuanced perspectives” of the day.

�Thanksgiving is meant to bring people together, not to divide students or cast blame over heritage.It is an opportunity for students, parents, and teachers to celebrate America, build unity in their communities, and share a meal with family and friends.”

“236 years ago, President George Washington urged Americans to set aside a day to give thanks for the blessings and abundance of our nation.Presidents throughout our history have continued that tradition, reminding us each Thanksgiving to pause and reflect with gratitude.”

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