Indigenous Heritage Month

Mount Holyoke College remains committed to developing campus-wide anti-racist educational programming each year. We continue to offer teach-in opportunities in partnership with internal campus partners and external content experts; these coalition efforts guide our learning and growth as a community. The annual observance of Indigenous Peoples’ Day is a commemoration that seeks to honor the histories, contributions, legacies and experiences of the Indigenous peoples of North America, often referred to as Native American or American Indian communities. It is recognized throughout the United States of America on the second Monday in October.

At Mount Holyoke, we honor the legacies of Indigenous tribes in Western Massachusetts who were the original caretakers of the area that we now occupy. Our teach-in this year seeks to provide educational opportunities that will lead people to action in support of ending the erasure of Indigenous contributions and providing redress to communities who were impacted by settler colonialism. Throughout the day, we will offer a series of sessions that are pre-recorded and live virtual learning experiences. This syllabus also provides a list of recommended resources, including key materials shared in collaboration with Rachel Beth Sayet who is the Five College Native American Community Engagement Fellow.

Co-Sponsors/Collaborators: Archives and Special Collections, the Office of Community and Belonging, the Office of Diversity, Equity and inclusion, the Zowie Banteah Cultural Center.