As we approach the upcoming holiday season I have been thinking about what Thanksgiving means to me. Traditionally for me, it has meant coming together with family and friends, and my grandmother's famous Thanksgiving spread. Over time, so much has changed as I’ve lost my grandmother, both my parents, and my sister. Just as those family dynamics and traditions have evolved over time, so has my perspective on the holiday, as I reflect on all the inaccuracies of the Thanksgiving story.
I invite you to reflect on the same questions I’ve been asking myself “When did you learn about the “first” Thanksgiving? What stories were you told?” No doubt, the myths around the Thanksgiving holiday have been a factor in erasing Indigenous realities for decades, especially the myth that the Pilgrim and other European inventions were peaceful or friendly. This Thanksgiving, we are still in the throes of a pandemic, and grappling with racial justice and as such, this year I am incorporating some ways that educators and Native leaders are recommending we can bring anti-racism to the Thanksgiving table this year.
I’ve also been learning that according to the National Resources Defense Council, the Thanksgiving holiday is one of the most wasteful times of the year with 200 million pounds of turkey alone tossed out annually. I’m paying attention and have included resourcefulness, sustainability and respect for the earth as part of my new Thanksgiving tradition.
Here are just a few curated resources to explore as we enter this holiday season. I encourage you not to skip over the resources that are available for students or children as these are often a great place to start to educate yourself.
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A Racial Justice Guide to Thanksgiving (Center for Racial Justice in Education)
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Teaching Thanksgiving in a Socially Responsible Way (Learning for Justice)
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Deconstructing the Myths of “The First Thanksgiving” (Oyate-Oyate is a Native organization working to see that our lives and histories are portrayed with honesty and integrity, and that all people know that our stories belong to us)
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American Indian Perspectives on Thanksgiving (National Museum of The American Indian) This is a resource for teachers grades 4-8 around themes 1) Environment: Understanding the Natural World, 2) Community: Group Identity in Culture, 3) Encounter: Effects on Cultures, and 4) Sharing: New Perspectives Year-Round
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Recognizing Native American Perspectives: Thanksgiving and the National Day of Mourning (National Geographic)
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Rethinking Thanksgiving Celebrations: Native Perspectives on Thanksgiving (Native Knowledge 360° National Museum of the American Indian)
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We Shall Remain a new 5-part PBS American Experience documentary tells the story of key moments over the course of 300 years in U.S. history, but from the Native American perspective
*NOTE: These resources were gathered for your reference and ease of finding relevant material and may not completely reflect the views of Organizational Learning or the University of Michigan.
Be kind, and together we will do the best we can until we know better. Then when we know better, we will do better! (adapted from original quote by Maya Angelou)
Published: November, 2021
Author: Angie Stewart
Diversity, Equity and Inclusion Program Lead and Facilitator Engagement Program Manager
Organizational Learning