Thanksgiving, as traditionally celebrated, has long been steeped in myths that obscure its more complex historical roots. The commonly shared narrative often centers on harmony between Pilgrims and Native Americans during a shared feast in 1621. However, this oversimplifies, and in many ways distorts, the darker truths of colonization, displacement, and systemic violence against Indigenous peoples that followed European settlement. For Indigenous communities, Thanksgiving can symbolize the beginning of land theft, cultural erasure, and genocide.
The connections between African Americans, the transatlantic slave trade, and the Five Tribes (often referred to as the Five “Civilized” Tribes: Cherokee, Choctaw, Chickasaw, Creek, and Seminole) is another complex and under-taught history. Some of these tribes participated in the enslavement of African people, often adopting the practice after pressure from European settlers to assimilate into Western customs. At the same time, there were alliances between African Americans and Indigenous communities, such as through intermarriage, shared resistance to oppression, and the escape of enslaved individuals to Native lands. This layered history reveals both solidarity and complicity, illustrating the complexity of relationships between oppressed groups during colonization and slavery.
As for 2024 and the “truth being told,” societal awareness and education about these histories are growing, thanks to the advocacy of Indigenous peoples, African Americans, historians, and educators. Efforts to incorporate these truths into mainstream education, media, and conversations are increasing. However, resistance to these narratives—due to political, cultural, or ideological reasons—remains strong in certain sectors of society.
The shift toward truth-telling depends on continued advocacy, open dialogue, and systemic changes in education. If this momentum continues, 2024 could see more progress, though full acknowledgment and widespread acceptance of these truths may still be a work in progress.
