Highlights
- Thanksgiving's narrative often overlooks Indigenous perspectives and the complexities of colonial relationships.
- The holiday's transformation into a national celebration has perpetuated myths that marginalize Native American experiences.
- Engaging with Indigenous-led initiatives can promote a more inclusive and accurate understanding of Thanksgiving's history.
Summary and Historical Background
The Untold History of Thanksgiving: What You Need to Know in 2025 explores the complex origins and evolving meanings of Thanksgiving, traditionally linked to a 1621 feast shared by Pilgrims and the Wampanoag people. While widely celebrated in the US and Canada as a time of gratitude, the holiday’s popular narrative often oversimplifies colonial-Indigenous relations and overlooks Indigenous perspectives.
Thanksgiving predates the Plymouth feast, with earlier observances by Spanish settlers, English colonists, and others. The 1621 Plymouth event was a strategic alliance between Pilgrims and Wampanoag leader Massasoit, essential for colonial survival. Indigenous contributions of agricultural knowledge and food were vital. However, the event’s portrayal often excludes Native voices and ignores the subsequent colonization and displacement Indigenous peoples endured.
Indigenous Perspectives and Oral Histories
Indigenous oral histories provide essential perspectives contrasting the common narrative of a harmonious feast. These accounts emphasize colonization’s impact, including disease and land loss, while also highlighting resilience and longstanding traditions of gratitude predating colonial contact. Many Native Americans observe Thanksgiving as a time of remembrance and resilience, with growing efforts to honor Indigenous experiences through education, activism, and cultural revitalization.
Evolution and Controversies of the Holiday
Thanksgiving evolved from various 17th- and 18th-century days of thanksgiving and prayer, often solemn rather than festive. The national holiday was established by Abraham Lincoln in 1863 to foster unity during the Civil War, influenced by campaigns seeking shared cultural traditions. The popular myth of the “First Thanksgiving” is recognized as historically inaccurate and romanticized, ignoring Indigenous perspectives and the harsh realities of colonization.
Criticism centers on the erasure of Native voices, the mythologizing of the event, and the holiday’s role in promoting a sanitized American identity. Educational portrayals often perpetuate stereotypes, while the holiday’s establishment during the Civil War is seen as an attempt to unify the nation at the expense of Indigenous histories. These controversies call for a critical examination of Thanksgiving’s narratives and cultural impact.
Modern Observances and Cultural Impact
Since 1970, the National Day of Mourning in Plymouth serves as a counter-observance honoring Indigenous ancestors and highlighting ongoing struggles over land rights and sovereignty. Indigenous communities use Thanksgiving to share their histories and traditions, encouraging reflection beyond gratitude to include recognition of colonization’s legacies. Non-Native individuals are urged to acknowledge Indigenous lands and support Native sovereignty.
Thanksgiving’s cultural impact is complex, symbolizing both national unity and contested Indigenous histories. Efforts by Indigenous organizations challenge mainstream narratives, emphasizing Indigenous agency, cultural survival, and respect for land, language, and spiritual traditions.
Global Observance and Developments in 2025
Thanksgiving is celebrated in the US on the fourth Thursday of November and in Canada on a different date tied to separate historical roots. In 2025, awareness of Thanksgiving’s contested history continues to grow, with increased advocacy for Indigenous sovereignty and inclusion of Native perspectives in retellings. Educational initiatives promote Indigenous-authored resources, while Native American Heritage Month and Heritage Day offer additional recognition.
Criticism remains of commercialized and mythologized portrayals, prompting museums and communities to center Indigenous voices. These developments reflect a cultural reckoning fostering a more inclusive and honest dialogue about Thanksgiving’s meaning and its impact on Indigenous peoples today.
The content is provided by Jordan Fields, Scopewires
