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The Truth About the First Thanksgiving – The Wampanoag Perspective

Wampanoag Warrior Engraving

In school, most of us are taught that in 1621, member of the Mashpee Wampanoag tribe sat together with the English Pilgrims to break bread and celebrate their first harvest as allies. While many acknowledge that this story is not entirely accurate, fewer of us really know the detailed truth about the history of the holiday, and how it has impacted Native Americans over the years.

This interview with the Mashpee Wampanoag Tribe’s Tribal Historic Preservation Officer, Ramona Peters, delves into the broader context behind the story many of us have been told about the “first Thanksgiving”

Has a story about you, or someone you know, ever lost its truth and accuracy over time? We invite you to share your experience with us in a comment below.

Support the Mashpee Wampanoag tribe’s programs that preserve their culture here

-Your friends at Undoing Racism