History

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Cooking the History Books: The Thanksgiving Massacre

 

By Laura Elliff, Vice President, Native American Student Association,
Republished from Republic of Lakotah

 

…

“Was Thanksgiving really a massacre of 700 “Indians”? The present Thanksgiving may be a mixture of the 1621 three-day feast and the “Thanksgiving” proclaimed after the 1637 Pequot massacre. So next time you see the annual “Pilgrim and Indian display” in a shopping window or history about other massacres of Native Americans, think of the hurt and disrespect Native Americans feel. Thanksgiving is observed as a day of sorrow rather than a celebration. This year at Thanksgiving dinner, ponder why you are giving thanks.

 

William Bradford, in his famous History of the Plymouth Plantation, celebrated the Pequot massacre:

 

“Those that scraped the fire were slaine with the sword; some hewed to peeces, others rune throw with their rapiers, so as they were quickly dispatchte, and very few escapted. It was conceived they thus destroyed about 400 at this time. It was a fearful sight to see them thus frying in the fyer, and the streams of blood quenching the same, and horrible was the stincke and sente there of, but the victory seemed a sweete sacrifice, and they gave the prayers thereof to God, who had wrought so wonderfully for them, thus to inclose their enemise in their hands, and give them so speedy a victory over so proud and insulting an enimie.”

 

The Pequot massacre came after the colonists, angry at the murder of an English trader suspected by the Pequots of kidnapping children, sought revenge. rather than fighting the dangerous Pequot warriors, John Mason and John Underhill led a group of colonists and Native allies to the Indian fort in Mystic, and killed the old men, women, and children who were there. Those who escaped were later hunted down. The Pequot tribe numbered 8,000 when the Pilgrims arrived, but disease had brought their numbers down to 1,500 by 1637. The Pequot “War” killed all but a handful of remaining members of the tribe.

 

An illustration from John Underhill’s News from America, depicting how the village was surrounded.

Proud of their accomplishments, Underhill wrote a book depicted the burning of the village, and even made an illustration showing how they surrounded the village to kill all within it.

 

Laura Elliff is Vice President of Native American Student Association.

 

Originally published November 22nd, 2009″
See on unsettlingamerica.wordpress.com

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The Scramble for Africa

 

“The Scramble for Africa (1876-1914) was when European powers took over most of Africa in the late 1800s. By 1914 all of Africa was under white rule except for Ethiopia and Liberia. White rule in most places lasted till the 1960s.

 

The European powers that took part:

  • Britain
  • France
  • Portugal
  • Germany
  • Belgium
  • Italy
  • Spain

See on abagond.wordpress.com

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demographically weighted world history

 

“A demographically weighted world history would cover times and places in proportion to the number of people who lived in them. The idea is that, as much as possible, every person who has ever lived would be equally represented in its pages.

 

For example, instead of spending 50% to 75% of its pages on the West, like most “world” histories written by Westerners seem to do, it would spend only 25%. The other 75% would be used to cover – the other 75% of the world. Western colonialism would be told from both sides.

 

“How many people did it affect?” would determine what got covered and what did not.”
See on abagond.wordpress.com

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Solomon Northup

Solomon Northup (1808-1857?) was an American farmer, carpenter and canal worker from New York state. He was kidnapped and sold into slavery in 1841 – not an uncommon thing for free blacks in those …

 

Community Village‘s insight:

 

Between this history made real on the big screen, and racist laws explained in crystal clarity in Michelle Alexander’s book The New Jim Crow – the U.S. has serious soul searching to do – especially European Americans (aka whites).

 

@getgln

See on abagond.wordpress.com

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Christopher Columbus: father of modern-day white supremacy (part 2)

Because of the ruthless campaigns carried out by Columbus and his followers, an entire millennia’s worth of pain, misfortune, and suffering was exported from within the confines of Europe’s borders…

 

Community Village‘s insight:

 

The section about harrasing the 10 – 12 year olds reminds me of stop-n-frisk.

See on ushypocrisy.com

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ethnic contributions

 

“Other cultures are valued only to the degree that they help white people. They do not have value in their own right.”

 

 

Community Village‘s insight:

And how often do we hear about the bad inventions of Europeans? The inventions that kill more people faster.

See on abagond.wordpress.com

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Giving Grassroots Leaders a Voice – Ford Pt2

 

“Glen Ford, Exec. Editor of Black Agenda Report, talks about helping create black radio news. He says that news media creates leaders by deciding what events are important and who is authorized to speak on the importance of those events –   October 24, 2013″

 
See on therealnews.com

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Growing Up Black in American Apartheid – Ford Pt1

 

“On Reality Asserts Itself with Paul Jay: Glen Ford, Executive Editor of Black Agenda Report, tells his story as a red-diaper baby, growing up facing racism in the North living with his white activist mother, and living in the Deep South with his black deejay father –   October 24, 2013″

 

 

Community Village‘s insight:

 

All power to the people.

 

@getgln

See on therealnews.com