Monday, October 9, 2017

lynching history in map and memorials

I posted before about lynching. I recently found the sites below. They are informative and useful for understanding this despicable history of our country:

EJI's Alabama lynching memorial to confront U.S. history of slavery: youtube.com

The Origins of Lynching Culture in the United States: youtube.com

Explore EJI's site about Lynching in America: lynchinginamerica.eji.org

This interactive map is so informative: monroeworktoday.org/explore
(see more history here: monroeworktoday.org)



cultural appropriation

A neighbor/friend recently shared this link with me: currentaffairs.org/2017/09/the-question-of-cultural-appropriation

In this article, Brianha Joy Gray writes: It’s more helpful to think about exploitation and disrespect than to define cultural “ownership.” 

I had learned and posted about this topic before. I found this article helpful in Gray's further distinctions on profiting, exploitation, respect, and understanding.



Indigenous Peoples Day (holiday name change needed)

"Indigenous Peoples Day is about more than a name change; it’s a refusal to allow the genocide of millions of Indigenous peoples to go unnoticed, and a demand for recognition of Indigenous humanity. Recognizing this day in place of what’s currently known as “Columbus Day” is a way to correct false histories, honor Indigenous peoples, and begin to correct some of the countless wrongs committed against Indigenous peoples of Turtle Island (what’s now known as the Americas)."

Above, and more, from herewww.indigenouspeoplesdayma.org

I found this link on the site above8 Myths and Atrocities About Christopher Columbus and Columbus Dayindiancountrymedianetwork.com/history

I was astounded by how very different and wrong the history was, that I was taught about Columbus "discovering America." Reading that history link above was not easy. The truth is not easy.

I hope we can teach our children better than what I was taught.

We have an opportunity to do some right for the many wrongs done to Indigenous Peoples by changing the name of this holiday today, and changing what history is taught. Sign the petition here and support this cause: petitions.moveon.org/sign/recognize-indigenous

Cambridge, MA, did it in 2016! Read about it here.