Since Thanksgiving Day 1970, the town of Plymouth, Massachusetts has hosted the National Day of Mourning, when Native Americans from all over the country demonstrate against all that happened after they kept the Pilgrims alive during the first winter.
Statue of Massasoit, Chief of the Wampanoags, the tribe that enabled the Pilgrims survive their first winter, on Cole's Hill, overlooking Plymouth Harbor.
The plaque reads, in part: "To [Native Americans], Thanksgiving Day is a reminder of the genocide of millions of their people, the theft of their lands, and the relentless assault on their culture. Participants in national Day of Mourning honor Native ancestors and the struggles of Native peoples to survive today...It is a protest of the racism and oppression which Native Americans continue to experience. Erected by the Town of Plymouth on behalf of the United American Indians of New England."
The United American Indians of New England (UAINE) sponsor the event annually. In spite of the fact that it was held on Thanksgiving Day, it was well attended by a diverse crowd.
This was the last official day of my America bus trip. But my blog is not over! I had the opportunity to travel further, not in America but in "the Americas," Costa Rica to be exact. My son is an expat there, teaching ESL and loving all the Costa Ricans who are just like him, happy and not riddled with angst. Businesses in CR accept dollars, so that makes it official, my travels there were American. Stay tuned.