As Americans transition from celebrating Thanksgiving to the holiday season, Indigenous communities remind the nation of the painful history often overshadowed by the holiday’s narrative. Thanksgiving, widely portrayed as a time of gratitude and unity, obscures the genocide, displacement, and systemic oppression inflicted upon Native Americans by settlers.
For Indigenous peoples, the day is a solemn reminder of the land stolen, cultures disrupted, and lives lost during centuries of colonization. Maps and records, like those illustrating Native lands diminished from 1776 to today, highlight the extent of this historical and ongoing injustice. What began as vast, autonomous territories for Native nations has been reduced to scattered, small parcels over time.
Indigenous activists and allies use Thanksgiving as an opportunity to educate the public on these truths, advocating for acknowledgment, reparations, and respect for Native sovereignty. While many Americans may move on from the holiday without deeper reflection, for Native communities, the legacy of loss and resilience is ever-present.
