Dean’s Message on Indigenous Peoples’ Day

Dear BUSSW Community,

As we head out to enjoy the long weekend ahead, I want to share some important news regarding BUSSW’s stand on the upcoming holiday. Moving forward, we will officially celebrate the holiday on the second Monday in October as Indigenous Peoples’ Day, in honor of the Native people who first inhabited the Americas.  As I shared in September at our orientation for incoming students, it is important to acknowledge that our School and BU at large are located in the ancestral lands of The Massachusett People, who stewarded this land throughout the generations prior to being occupied and taken by arrival of the English Colonists and other Europeans.

We support the efforts by many groups to recognize this fact by changing the name of the holiday to Indigenous Peoples’ Day. We are aware of the many discussions and opinions around this topic that have been circulating across the country for years.  As an organization dedicated to advancing universal human rights and the elimination of oppressive practices, we feel this is the right and just stance to take on this issue.

Thanks to the efforts of student Adrienne Young, who made this recommendation, we are happy to share a number of helpful resources she gathered to explore the meaning and implications of this change.

“Indigenous Peoples’ Day recognizes that Native people are the first inhabitants of the Americas, including the lands that later became the United States of America. And it urges Americans to rethink history.” (Zotigh & Gokey, 2019)

Indigenous Peoples’ Day in Massachusetts

Indigenous Peoples’ Day MA has been leading the charge through community organizing for official recognition of IPD across MA. They will hold a rally on Saturday, October 10.

This Daily Free Press article reviews the debate at BU, which trails behind other area schools that have made the switch to formal recognition of IPD.

What Can You Do?

• Attend the Brandeis Indigenous Peoples’ Day 2020 Virtual Teach-In
• Support the MA Indigenous Legislative Agenda and write to your local officials to share your support
• Attend The Field Museum talk on Land Rights Acknowledgements
• Check out the North American Indian Center of Boston for events
• Check out the United American Indians of New England for events
• Read Indian Country Today, a daily news platform that covers the Indigenous world
• Listen to This Land podcast, that investigates the treaty rights for five tribes in Oklahoma
• Read about Savanna’s Act, recently approved in the House to address Missing and Murdered Indigenous Women

Tools

• Illuminative created a guide to supporting Indigenous Peoples’ Day (IPD) with helpful information and tools.

Media

• This NPR article also outlines some of the history of IPD, and why the idea of celebrating Columbus is so hurtful.
• This PBS article also elaborates on the importance of IPD.
• This Last Week Tonight clip reveals the absurdity behind celebrating Columbus Day.
• Reconsider Columbus Day created a short clip highlighting the need for IPD.

Sincerely,

Jorge

Jorge Delva, BUSSW Dean