Thanksgiving 'myth'? Universities Ask If Americans Should 'Rethink' Holidays As 'Day of Mourning'

Several American universities are participating in an event asking if Americans should 'reconsider' Thanksgiving.

The Alumni Associations of the University of Maryland, Florida Gulf Coast University, Washington State University, University of Central Arkansas, Hiram College in Ohio, and California State University at Long Beach are participating.

According to the event description, the recent National Change from Columbus Day to Indigenous Peoples' Day "reflects a changing national mood" and asks whether Americans should do the same with Thanksgiving.

Beginning in 1970, many Americans, led by Native American protesters, believed that Thanksgiving should be rededicated as a National Day of Mourning to reflect the displacement and persecution of Native Americans over centuries. The recent change from Columbus Day to On Indigenous Peoples Day reflects a changing national mood, "reads the event description. "Should Americans Rethink Thanksgiving as they grapple with our country's complicated past?"

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"The myth of Thanksgiving is powerful and ubiquitous. In the fall of 1621, American legend says, in English Pilgrims seeking religious freedom shared a feast with Wampanoags, the residents of the territory the Pilgrims called Plymouth, "adds the event description. "The good feelings from that meal soon faded as indigenous peoples and English settlers, including the Pilgrims, began to compete for resources, sparking conflicts that lasted generations. However, despite the often violent relations between the nation and indigenous communities, the myth of coexistence remained ".

Speaker for the event, Peter C. Mancall, a professor at the University of Southern California, told Fox News that his goal for the event is to "explain the context of the events and offer ideas on how to interpret the existing evidence."

"I respect my audience's ability to draw their own conclusions about the material," he said.

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The University of Maryland said the alumni association has a contract with the Alumni Learning Consortium, which organizes the event. A spokesperson for California State University, Long Beach also said the university pays to participate in the Alumni Learning Consortium.

A spokesperson for Florida's Gulf Coast University said the university's alumni association pays $ 2,500 to the Professional Reading Club Guru, which also provides access to the event. A spokesperson for Hiram College in Ohio said the university also pays for events through the Professional Book Club Guru.

This March 12, 2019, file photo shows the University Village area of ​​the University of Southern California at Los Angeles.
(AP Photo / Reed Saxon, file)

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] The Alumni Learning Consortium is run by the Professional Book Club Guru, which states that its mission is "to help alumni associations create more, higher quality online programs to drive engagement."