David Silverman's "This Land Is Their Land" offers a comprehensive and nuanced account of the Wampanoag Indians' history, their interactions with the Plymouth Colony, and the complexities surrounding the Thanksgiving narrative. The book challenges the traditional, sanitized version of Thanksgiving, revealing the brutal realities of colonization and the lasting impact on the Wampanoag people. Silverman meticulously details the events leading up to the first Thanksgiving, the treaty between Massasoit and the Pilgrims, and the devastating consequences that followed. He sheds light on the often-overlooked aspects of Native American history, including slavery and the devastating impact of disease. The book serves as a crucial corrective to the simplified and often misleading narratives commonly presented.
November 26, 1970. In Plymouth, Massachusetts, on the 350th anniversary of the Pilgrims’ arrival, protestors gather under a statue of Massasoit, the Wampanoag leader who had made peace with the Pilgrims, and partook in the legendary Thanksgiving meal. This protest was organized by Wamsutta Frank James, a Wampanoag activist who wanted to draw attention to the full story of Thanksgiving – a story of fear, violence, and oppression that spanned generations.
America’s reckoning with the truth of Thanksgiving, James argued, would empower indigenous people to fight for their equal rights. This protest – a National Day of Mourning – continues to this day, now led by James’s granddaughter. So what is the true story of Thanksgiving? And why is it so important for us to remember?
Special thanks to Kisha James, Paula Peters, and David Silverman, author of This Land Is Their Land: The Wampanoag Indians, Plymouth Colony, and the Troubled History of Thanksgiving.
This episode originally aired November 22, 2021.
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