#NationalDayOfMourning

[rabbitcruiser]

National Day of Mourning

The National Day of Mourning takes place on the fourth Thursday of November, this year it’s on November 28. If this date sounds familiar to you, it’s because the fourth Thursday of November also coincides with Thanksgiving in the U.S. Every year on the National Day of Mourning, Native American people in New England gather together to protest. To them, Thanksgiving serves as a reminder of the unjust treatment that Native Americans have received since the 1620 Plymouth landing.

History of National Day of Mourning

The National Day of Mourning reminds us all that Thanksgiving is only part of the story. Native Americans, since 1970, have gathered at noon on Cole’s Hill in Plymouth, Massachusetts, to commemorate a National Day of Mourning on Thanksgiving Day. 

Pilgrims landed in Plymouth and established the first colony in 1620. As such, it’s the oldest municipality in New England. Many Native Americans, however, don’t celebrate the arrival of the Pilgrims and other European settlers. Thanksgiving, to them, is a brutal reminder of “the genocide of millions of Native people, the theft of Native lands, and the relentless assault on Native culture.” 

They participate as a way to honor Native ancestors and the struggles of Native peoples to survive today. “It is a day of remembrance and spiritual connection as well as a protest of the racism and oppression which Native Americans continue to experience.”

The United American Indians of New England (UAINE) sponsors this event. They maintain that the Pilgrims arrived in North America and claimed tribal land for their own, as opposed to establishing a mutually beneficial relationship with the local inhabitants. UAINE members believe that these settlers “introduced sexism, racism, anti-homosexual bigotry, jails, and the class system.”

The National Day of Mourning generally begins at noon and includes a march through the historic district of Plymouth. While the UAINE encourages people of all backgrounds to attend the protests, only Native speakers are invited to give these speeches about the past, as well as current obstacles their people have overcome. Guests are asked to bring non-alcoholic beverages, desserts, fresh fruits and vegetables, or pre-cooked items. The protest is open to anyone, and has attracted other minority activists.

National Day of Mourning timeline

​1998

No permit needed​

UAINE receives permission from local authorities to march in protest without having to obtain a permit. ​

​1997

Protests got violent​

State troopers use force against protesters who gathered together to observe the 28th annual National Day of Mourning. ​

​1970

National Day of Mourning began

The first annual protest for the National Day of Mourning takes place.​

​1620

Pilgrims arrived​

English separatist Puritans, who had broken away from the Church of England, land at Plymouth Rock. Today we refer to them as Pilgrims.

National Day of Mourning FAQs

What really happened in 1621?

The Pilgrims celebrated their first successful harvest by firing guns and cannons in Plymouth. The noise alarmed ancestors of the Wampanoag Nation who went to investigate. That is how native people came to be present at the first Thanksgiving

Are federal offices closed on a national day of mourning?

U.S. government offices are closed on the National Day of Mourning due to the Thanksgiving holiday.

What happens on the National Day of Mourning?

Native Americans and supporters gather in Plymouth to “mourn our ancestors and the genocide of our peoples and the theft of our lands.”

How to Observe National Day of Mourning

Brush up on your history: Do you know much about the first Thanksgiving? Do some research online, stop by your local library, or watch a documentary that will help give you a better understanding of what Native Americans actually went through.

Learn more about the United American Indians of New England (UAINE): UAINE is responsible for helping the National Day of Mourning protest take shape. To observe this important day, take some time to learn about about the UAINE. It's a fascinating organization that has done a great deal to promote better treatment for the Native American people.

Attend a protest: Protesters gather on Cole's Hill, a location overlooking Plymouth Rock, in Massachusetts. Everyone is welcome to observe these gatherings, and recently, other minority groups have started to become involved in the events of this day.

​4 Reasons To Thank Native Americans

​They've been here a while: Native Americans have existed in what is now known as the United States since 12,000 BC. ​

​Thank you for your service: Although they were not considered American citizens, over 8,000 Native Americans served in the military in World War I. ​

Your great-grandma is who?​: Many of the first families who settled in Virginia trace their roots directly back to Pocahontas.

An important vocabulary lesson: A bunch of Native American words have made their way into the English language; for example, coyote, tomato, poncho, potato, and chia.​

Why National Day of Mourning is Important

It serves as an important history lesson: Textbooks often glaze over the unjust treatment of Native Americans. The National Day of Mourning, however, is a reminder that the people native to the Americas have been the recipients of a great deal of unfair treatment. It's important to discuss.

It's a time to come together: For protesters, the National Day of Mourning serves as a time to rally together to advocate for what they believe in. UAINE has worked to improve relations between the government and native people.

It shifts our attention away from turkey: Yes, Thanksgiving can be a great day filled with tons of good food and time spent with loving family and friends. However, the mission behind the National Day of Mourning is to highlight that the Thanksgiving holiday is actually quite painful for some people. For quite a few Native Americans in New England, Thanksgiving marks a time when their ancestors were treated poorly.

Source

[notyourhistoryclass]

For those who live in the United States, you most certainly were told of a happy event that happened in the 17th century, where the Pilgrims and the Natives all sat down and had a jolly, old thanksgiving meal together. Interesting idea, but as we grow older and gather more information on just how terrible the Europeans treated the Natives when they came to the Americas, it seems more like this reality is a sugar-coated one that we have built in our heads. The truth is that the unwashed, disease ridden Europeans came to America, took over the lands and proceeded to wipe out hundreds of thousands of Natives in a multitude of ways.

Thanks to Mike Meyers for the theme music, you can follow him on X @themikeshow42.

The background music of this episode is “Background Scan Master” by John Bartmann (Free Music Archive)(CC0 1.0) https://tinyurl.com/backgroundscanJB

[bestmessage]

National Day of Mourning Messages and Quotes

Celebrate this day by posting the National Day of Mourning quotes, sayings and greetings on Facebook, Instagram and WhatsApp. The occasion calls for celebrating this day with high spirits and with National Day of Mourning images and statuses.

[stochastique-blog]

Im Human

Today on National Day of Mourning, we stand in solidarity with native and indigenous LGBTQAI+ communities. Swipe and follow queer and two spirit artists, activists, and content creators who are disrupting imagined American history and bringing attention to a true history that many Americans continue to willfully ignore.

#dapperQ #indigenousqueer #queerindigenous #nationaldayofmourning https://www.instagram.com/p/CWsztWQgNdA/?utm_medium=tumblr

[heavenboy09]

To All Of Those Who Celebrate This Day. I tell you Happy Thanksgiving or HAPPY UNTHANKSGIVING.

See before I knew the history behind the story of How Thanksgiving worked but this time around. I decided to accept it as it once was. For the Dark History behind this Tragic Day to

the People of the Wampanoag Tribe 🪶🏞 Suffered a Tremendous Loss of Life. All Because some White Men who wanted to invent some Day where My People actually had a day to sit down and have food together and give thanks to one another.

When in Reality. The Real Truth is. They were Massacred, Slaughtered, Raped, and Evidently Erased from History.

But the survivoring Members of the Wampanoag Tribe are still here to tell the REAL STORY BEHIND UNTHANKSGIVING to what is known for all Native Americans around the World. To Know that you are not alone.

We are with you. To All My Family, Friends, Colleagues, and etc.

PLEASE REMEMBER THAT WHEN YOU CELEBRATE THE DEATH AND THE LEGACY OF PEOPLE WHO NEVER GOT THE CHANCE TO LIVE.

700 Wampanoag Tribe Members Died on This On Day..

REMEMBER THAT. Remember The #NationalDayOfMourning

REMEMBER MY PEOPLE. 🤎✊🏾 #Unthanksgiving

[millenniumgrouprealestate]

In 1984, the Canadian Labour Congress established April 28th as the National Day of Mourning in Canada to remember and honour those who have died, been injured or suffered illness in the workplace 💐 #DayOfMourning #MourningDay #NationalDayOfMourning #KendraCutroneBroker...

[hear--me-raw]

There’s no pride in Genocide. In a country with a record number of mass shootings it is time that we ask ourselves where this behavior or this energy originates and it’s impossible to not look at the fact that this country was birthed through violence and erasure of its native people. This is something that we must fight every single day for as long as we are here because the colonizers will never stop unless the people say “No Thanks No Giving” At the end of the day we truly are one Nation. Once we know the true story of this land we can reconnect and start taking care of it. The native people are the best stewards of this land and the land needs to go back to them. Mama Gaia is screaming and filled with unnecessary bloodshed and that can end with every single one of us standing up to fight for her. Without her we are NOTHING. Next year this march better double, no it better triple in size. Don’t be scared to speak against the oppressors because spirit has always been by your side and will continue to be by your side through every hardship. The biggest hardship would be for us to stay Quiet and allow the colonizers to destroy our land and then move on to destroy other lands. Let’s show them how powerless they are without us the people. The power has always been in community and the spirit of our ancestors reside within the Mountains, the waters, the sky and of course within us and that’s how we remain eternal🙏🏾 #noprideingenocide #landback #nothanksnogiving #2slgbtqiaplus #thereddeal #plymouthrock #plymouthrockwhatacrock #2spirit #taino #puertorico #nationaldayofmourning #freepeltier (at Plymouth Rock) https://www.instagram.com/p/ClY_O9jJP0M/?igshid=NGJjMDIxMWI=

[healingwithtania]

🦜The truth will set you free. 🪅 Honoring those who came before us. Keep dismantling the system through knowledge and kid energy. 🪆Dig a little deeper and see what you discover about today. 🪬Helpful accounts @indigemama @indigescuela @indigenouscultures @realnativeindigenousamericanz #dayofmourning #nationaldayofmourning #ancestors #thankstaking #decolonize #nothanksimgood (at Panorama City - California - San Fernando Valley) https://www.instagram.com/p/ClWmxgVvXOt/?igshid=NGJjMDIxMWI=

[tommiesunshine]

you’re an adult now. it’s time to learn the actual history of this country instead of the propaganda taught to us in school. #NationalDayOfMourning #NativeAmericanHeritageMonth #Thanksgiving2021 #Thanksgiving #NativeAmerican ❤️ (at Mount Rushmore) https://www.instagram.com/p/CWtVe4qPLYo/?utm_medium=tumblr

[rebel-girl-queen-of-my-world]

Today please donate to or offer some kind of support to the indigenous people whose land we occupy. @thatbitchkellyhayes posted all these excellent opportunities to support indigenous resistance on Twitter. I didn’t include the #StopLine3 fundraiser because unfortunately it has ended, but please find a way to tangibly support the fight for justice and survival on Turtle Island. Today of all days. #nationaldayofmourning #indigenousheritagemonth #indigenouspeople #indigenousresistance #indigenousrights #humanrights #landback #landdefenders #waterprotectors #decolonize #colonialism #thanksgiving #nativeamerican #nativerights #honorthetreaties #youareonnativeland https://www.instagram.com/p/CWs6yOpgk3c/?utm_medium=tumblr

[farmertucker]

while I am #thankful for so many things on this #thanksgiving, I am also observing the #nationaldayofmourning with #nativeamericans - learn more at uaine.org (at United States of America) https://www.instagram.com/p/CIEzMEtBXfy/?igshid=v555fa916l7r

[rabbitcruiser]

National Day of Mourning

United States history dictates the vast amounts of immigration and colonization that exceeded European Imperialism. However, Native Americans who have suffered at the loss of their homelands recognize this mourning.

So, since 1970, participants have created an annual protest called the Day of Mourning to honor Native ancestors and their struggles to survive today. While the holiday coincides with Thanksgiving, the goal of this day is to educate people about Native American history.

History of Day of Mourning

While the story of Thanksgiving tells about a mutual benefit between the Pilgrims and Native Americans, this holiday tells a different side of history. The United American Indians of New England (UAINE) created this holiday to publicize the democide and misrepresentation of Native Americans.

The UANIE is a Native-led, self-supporting organization advocating for the recognition of struggles of Native Americans and political prisoners.

The day was founded based off of an experience one Native had. According to their website, Wamsutta, an Aquinnah Wampanoag man, had been asked to speak at a fancy Commonwealth of Massachusetts banquet celebrating the 350th anniversary of the landing of the Pilgrims and asked for a copy of the speech.

Within days Wamsutta was told by a representative of the Department of Commerce and Development that he would not be allowed to give the speech. Since then, UANIE asks participants to partake in the Day of Mourning to understand the racism and oppression they faced, as well as find a spiritual remembrance of those throughout history.

Their main location for their activities takes place in Cole’s Hill, Plymouth, Massachusetts. They invite speakers and march through the Plymouth district in hopes of understanding the truth about history and the misrepresentation of it throughout generations.

How to celebrate Day of Mourning

The UANIE starts with a day of fasting, from sundown to the afternoon of that day to mourn. Then they have political speakers attend and bring food so people can break their fast. Then they march throughout the district to protest.

While it takes place in New England, its message is aimed at America, and anyone all over can participate. Since it takes place on Thanksgiving, while your family gathers together to create feasts, you can take the time to fast beforehand and research Native American history.

While it is centered around Native Americans, people of all races and backgrounds can participate in a Day of Mourning and mourn with them.

Source

[lonelyleliel]

“For The White Poets Who Would Be Indian” by Wendy Rose (Hopi/Miwok) “Why does the daughter of natives and strangers, gold miners and ranchers, write poetry? I can only mark certain times in my life when writing poetry was really the logical thing to do. For instance, there was a time when what I knew could have burst from inside me in other ways.” - Wendy Rose - Native American Literature (Vizenor 1995) #nativeamericanliterature #nativeamericanpoetry #wendyrose #nationaldayofmourning https://www.instagram.com/p/CIFJEgSnX6V/?igshid=p4n7lnklq3i9

[iohnyc-blog]

2020 Was a difficult year for many. We experienced the loss of a number of people dear to us. Just as the world was beginning to fall apart in so many ways we got word that we lost a dear friend and comrade. We want to honor and remember Edith Louise Goldberg (who many in NYC knew prior to their transition as Josh.) Edith was a beautiful and passionate soul. We met her in Zuccotti Park during Occupy Wall Street where she was a significant and impactful presence. We broke bread at Grub freegan community dinners, and painted banners together for Occupy Sandy. After she relocated to Massachusetts some of us kept in touch on occasion and got to see her while she was sharing food as part of Food Not Bombs at the National Day of Mourning in Plymouth Massachusetts. Edith was such a sweet person, someone burning with passion. Their presence and drive in this movement for a better world will continue to be missed but not forgotten. Edith’s family and friends asked that people moved to do so make donations in her memory to @translifeline. Trans Lifeline connects trans people to the community support and resources needed to survive and thrive. They provides trans peer support without involving police and are run by and for trans people. If you are trans and are looking for support please call +1-877-565-8860 or +1-877-330-6366 if you are based in Canada. #translivesmatter #translife #edithlouise #occupy #nationaldayofmourning #thevillagevoice #trans #plymouthmass #foodnotbombs #occupysandy #translifematters #suicideprevention #plymouthmassachusetts #villagevoice #zuccottipark #transisbeautiful #lgbtq #freegan #edithgoldberg #takecareofeachother #peercounseling #queerasfuck #occupyspring #villagevoicecover #mutualaid #commrades #queercommunity #suicideawarness #edithlouisegoldberg #wearethe99percent (at Occupy Wall St.) https://www.instagram.com/p/CJjvx7Olvuc/?igshid=xki96jk7qjxy

[monriatitans]

Thu, November 26, 2020 “Thanksgiving Day is a reminder of the genocide of millions of Native people, the theft of Native lands, and the relentless assault on Native culture,” according to the United American Indians of New England, which established and continues to provide leadership for the National Day of Mourning. “Participants in National Day of Mourning honor Native ancestors and the struggles of Native peoples to survive today. It is a day of remembrance and spiritual connection as well as a protest of the racism and oppression which Native Americans continue to experience.” #nationaldayofmourning #NationalDayofMourning #michiganstateuniversity @michiganstateu https://www.instagram.com/p/CIEY9GjnnVq/?igshid=1kwwf1ip77eki

[heavenboy09]

To All Of Those Who Celebrate This Day. I tell you Happy Thanksgiving or HAPPY UNTHANKSGIVING.

See before I knew the history behind the story of How Thanksgiving worked but this time around. I decided to accept it as it once was. For the Dark History behind this Tragic Day to

the People of the Wampanoag Tribe 🪶🏞 Suffered a Tremendous Loss of Life. All Because some White Men who wanted to invent some Day where My People actually had a day to sit down and have food together and give thanks to one another.

When in Reality. The Real Truth is. They were Massacred, Slaughtered, Raped, and Evidently Erased from History.

But the survivoring Members of the Wampanoag Tribe are still here to tell the REAL STORY BEHIND UNTHANKSGIVING to what is known for all Native Americans around the World. To Know that you are not alone.

We are with you. To All My Family, Friends, Colleagues, and etc.

PLEASE REMEMBER THAT WHEN YOU CELEBRATE THE DEATH AND THE LEGACY OF PEOPLE WHO NEVER GOT THE CHANCE TO LIVE.

700 Wampanoag Tribe Members Died on This On Day..

REMEMBER THAT. Remember The #NationalDayOfMourning

REMEMBER MY PEOPLE. 🤎✊🏾

#Unthanksgiving