The darker side of Thanksgiving

By DON WILBURN

donaldfwilburn@gmail.com

As millions of Americans gather around dinner tables to celebrate Thanksgiving, the true history behind the holiday remains largely overlooked. While many Native American communities, partake in the traditions of family and gratitude, the facts surrounding Thanksgiving are far from the peaceful narrative often portrayed.

The holiday, of_cially declared in 1863 by President Abraham Lincoln, was intended to foster unity during the Civil War. Yet, its roots lie in a complex and painful history that overlooks centuries of violence, land theft, and cultural destruction experienced by Indigenous peoples.

The formation of Thanksgiving as a national holiday coincided with a pivotal and tragic moment in American history: the Dakota War of 1862. After years of neglect by the U.S. government, the Dakota-Sioux people, pushed to the brink by starvation and broken treaties, fought back. In retaliation, President Lincoln ordered the mass execution of 38 Dakota men. Despite this, Lincoln’s declaration of Thanksgiving in the following year was part of a larger effort to reconcile with both Southern states and Native tribes – an attempt to heal the wounds of the nation’s violent history. However, as Dr. Mosteller points out, this move was largely propaganda, crafted to foster an image of unity while ignoring the deep scars left by colonialism.

While the Thanksgiving holiday as we know it today may not have origins in the events of 1621, its contemporary observance still perpetuates a narrative that disregards the trauma of Native peoples. Many Native Americans continue the tradition of sharing meals with loved ones but refuse to recognize the holiday as Thanksgiving, instead reframing it as a time to reect on the past and honor their own cultural customs without invoking the myth of “friendly Pilgrims.”

The history of the Pilgrims’ arrival at Plymouth is often simpli_ed in textbooks, with most accounts suggesting that harsh weather forced the Mayower off course. However, some historians argue that the Pilgrims purposely sailed to Massachusetts, seeking to distance themselves from English Anglican rule. Moreover, the true impact of European settlement on Native populations is often minimized, with disease playing a critical and devastating role. Before settlers arrived, Native American communities thrived with little exposure to European diseases. However, once English and French _shermen began to frequent the coasts, they inadvertently brought diseases that wiped out as much as 96 percent of the Indigenous population in some areas.

By the time the Pilgrims arrived, the Indigenous populations were already decimated by these epidemics, leaving vast swathes of land uninhabited. The Pilgrims, often portrayed as helpless newcomers, found these lands and their resources ready for colonization. The religious zeal of the English Separatists fueled their belief that the death of Native peoples was divine providence – an indication that God had destined them to take over the land.

One of the most enduring _gures in Thanksgiving lore is Squanto, a member of the Wampanoag tribe, who is said to have helped the Pilgrims survive by teaching them agricultural techniques. However, Squanto’s story is far more tragic and complex than the myth of a friendly Native guide. Captured by a slave trader as a young man, Squanto endured years of captivity in Europe before returning to a homeland ravaged by disease. When he arrived back in New England, he found his village decimated, with only bones left in the wake of the plagues. Squanto’s subsequent interactions with the Pilgrims, including his role as a translator, were marked by tension, as the Wampanoag sought to use the Pilgrims as potential allies in their struggle against rival tribes.

While the Pilgrims and Wampanoag eventually shared a feast in 1621, the history surrounding Thanksgiving is far from one of simple cooperation. For many Native Americans, Thanksgiving is a day of mourning rather than celebration. Each year, Native peoples gather at Plymouth, Massachusetts, to remember the losses they have suffered for over 400 years at the hands of settlers and colonial governments. This tradition, known as the National Day of Mourning, began in 1970 after Wamsutta (Frank) James was disinvited from delivering a speech about the atrocities suffered by his people. James wrote, “This action by Massasoit was perhaps our biggest mistake. We, the Wampanoag, welcomed you, the white man, with open arms, little knowing that it was the beginning of the end.”

As we celebrate Thanksgiving, it is essential to acknowledge the painful history that accompanies the holiday. For many Native Americans, it is a time to remember the lasting impacts of colonization and to honor the resilience of their communities. Recognizing this history is not just about changing the narrative of a holiday but about confronting the ongoing legacy of colonialism and its impact on Indigenous peoples.

“The First Thanksgiving” in 1621 as painted by Louis Gerome Ferris, 1912.

Smithsonian Archives

School children acting out the First Thanksgiving in 1963.

Getty Images