The Day Thanksgiving Turned into the National Day of Mourning

Wampanoag Native American Tribe

Everyone knows the story of Plymouth Massachusetts being the landing site for the Pilgrims which later turned into the spot of the very first Thanksgiving. Because of this belief, Plimoth plantation and Plimoth Rock, both located in Plymouth Massachusetts, have become very famous destinations for people around Thanksgiving time.

What some people might not realize is that Plymouth Massachusetts is also the place where the Wampanoag Native American tribe declared that on Thanksgiving they will now celebrate National Day of Mourning instead of the myth of Thanksgiving. What prompted this declaration of National Day of Mourning and when did it begin?

National Day of Mourning Was Born

In November of 1970, the Commonwealth of Massachusetts invited the Wampanoag tribe of Native Americans and then leader Frank B. James to attend a Thanksgiving celebration ceremony where they asked Frank B. James to give a speech regarding his tribe's role in the very first Thanksgiving. They were shocked to learn what the Wampanoag tribe's leader, Frank B. James, was actually planning to say in his speech.

It turns out that the Wampanoag tribe was using their invitation to speak at the Thanksgiving ceremony as platform to voice their views on what Thanksgiving is really about. Frank B. James was going to use this opportunity to try and get the word out about what really happened in Massachusetts to his people and many tribes just like his.

The Wampanoag's were looking to dispel the notion that there was a mutual respect between the Pilgrims and the Native American's. This was proven through the violence and discrimination that resulted in the near extinction of the Native American race. Unfortunately, Frank B. James was never able to give that speech at it's intended Thanksgiving ceremony for all in attendance to hear.