Colleges nationwide teach students to ‘decolonize’ Thanksgiving

Universities and colleges across the country are marking Thanksgiving with alternative events protesting the national holiday, according to reports from college news websites.

Diversity offices at several colleges held events this month on “decolonizing” Thanksgiving and acknowledging the “National Day of Mourning,” which falls on Thanksgiving Day. The event, first recognized by the United American Indians of New England, commemorates Thanksgiving Day as “a reminder of the genocide of millions of Native people, the theft of Native lands and the erasure of Native cultures.”

Students at Washington University in St. Louis, Missouri; The University at Buffalo, New York and The University of Maine were encouraged to participate in “decolonizing Thanksgiving,” events, The College Fix first reported.

Washington University’s Office for International Student Engagement and Cross-Cultural Connections invited students to learn about the “impact of colonization on Native American communities” at their “Decolonizing Thanksgiving” event on November 22.

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“This event encourages reflection and conversation on how we can reshape traditions to be more inclusive and mindful of historical context, and it will include presentations from various cultural perspectives and a sample of traditional Thanksgiving foods from different cultures,” the university said.

The University of Buffalo’s Intercultural and Diversity Center also hosted a discussion on “Decolonizing Thanksgiving” on November 21, according to the school’s calendar.

Students were set to discuss whether it is “right to celebrate Thanksgiving and America’s history of settler colonialism” and ask “what can we do to honor this day of mourning for Native communities?” according to the event description. 

“We can redefine the meaning of Thanksgiving to remember and respect indigenous peoples’ histories,” it says.

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The University of Maine’s Office for Diversity and Inclusion also hosted an “informative hour on the decolonization of Thanksgiving” on November 18, according to the university calendar. 

Pasadena City College also reportedly held its “largest-ever National Day of Mourning observance on Monday, Nov. 25,” according to local news outlet, Pasadena Now. The event was also shared on the university’s website under its events for Native American Heritage Month.

“The event, organized by Pasadena City College’s Indigenous People’s Advocacy Collective, will feature educational presentations, cultural elements, and trauma healing workshops focused on historical accuracy and acknowledging past trauma while promoting understanding,” Pasadena Now reported.

“This is definitely a day of trauma and definitely a day of historical significance to native and indigenous folks,” event organizer Jordyn Orozco told the local outlet. “While Thanksgiving is celebrated by some, that actual day of Thanksgiving the 28, which is the National Day of Mourning, is a day of remembrance and a day of sort of a way to honor those that have passed and to acknowledge that history was rewritten to erase the trauma that this community has faced.”

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University watchdog Campus Reform also reported how some universities hosted identity-based Thanksgiving events this month.

Yale University’s LGBTQ Center invited students to celebrate “trans joy, resilience and community” at its “Transgiving” dinner on November 18, according to a social media post.

Oakland University in Michigan invited students for a “trans-affirming and sober family-holiday-style autumn meal” at its Gender and Sexuality Center on November 26.

Washington University, The University at Buffalo, The University of Maine, Pasadena City College, Yale University and Oakland University did not immediately return Fox News Digital’s requests for comment.