Thank you, Michael. To adapt your own phrase, MA has been the home of more enlightened abolitionists than the South, and the South has been source of more racist rot than other parts of the country. Your own account of Thanksgiving verges on mythmaking itself.
Thank you, Michael. To adapt your own phrase, MA has been the home of more enlightened abolitionists than the South, and the South has been source of more racist rot than other parts of the country. Your own account of Thanksgiving verges on mythmaking itself.
Um, that's not actually "my" account? It's all over extant manuscripts of the day, not hard to look it all up, there are mountains of historical data. But on average, probably you're right re: north vs. south. That being said, Boston's INCREDIBLY racist. A lot of People of Color come here and are horrified because the company line, so to speak, is that we're this place that "got over all that." Alas, as we're all learning, we have a lot of work to do.
Sorry, I should have specified the first Thanksgiving. The account of the later development of the holiday is fine, but on the first, it's the conventional mythologized story. Having numerous accounts does not guarantee accuracy; in fact, errors have long been replicated until recent decades Indians turned up and were served, but not invited; venison was the main fare, not turkey; and harmony between New Eng Indians and the English was fleeting despite some exceptions like Squanto (Tisquantum; he's not even known by his real name, and died in 1622), Massasoit, and the praying towns of eastern MA. Americans have been led to accept a sanitized history flattering to Euro Amer sensibilities.
A Cave, The Pequot War
F Jennings, The Invasion of America
K Kupperman, Indians & English
J Loewen, Lies Across America
____, Lies my Teacher told Me
N Salisbury, Manitou and Providence
____, "Squanto," in Struggle & Survival in Early Amer
The name Fern has a deep meaning for me now after I watched Frances McDormand play the lead character Fern in Nomadland yesterday. ItтАЩs quite a film. Everyone should see it. It was directed by a Chinese woman who has been nominated as best director for this yearтАЩs oscars. ItтАЩs about many things but mostly about one womanтАЩs grief.
Thank you, Liz. It took me years to accept the name. I was Bonnie at summer camp. On alert to being teased, because Steve Allen, a man of many talents, and the first host of The Tonight Show, often asked male guests, 'How's your fern'? I escaped ridicule and grew up to own the name, perhaps, because I love plants, ferns included.
Thanks Fern. Michael and I actually have a minor dispute on 1st Thanksgiving going today, but I look forward to more from him. Michael, you are a skilled phrasemaker. Write on.
Thank you, Michael. To adapt your own phrase, MA has been the home of more enlightened abolitionists than the South, and the South has been source of more racist rot than other parts of the country. Your own account of Thanksgiving verges on mythmaking itself.
Um, that's not actually "my" account? It's all over extant manuscripts of the day, not hard to look it all up, there are mountains of historical data. But on average, probably you're right re: north vs. south. That being said, Boston's INCREDIBLY racist. A lot of People of Color come here and are horrified because the company line, so to speak, is that we're this place that "got over all that." Alas, as we're all learning, we have a lot of work to do.
Sorry, I should have specified the first Thanksgiving. The account of the later development of the holiday is fine, but on the first, it's the conventional mythologized story. Having numerous accounts does not guarantee accuracy; in fact, errors have long been replicated until recent decades Indians turned up and were served, but not invited; venison was the main fare, not turkey; and harmony between New Eng Indians and the English was fleeting despite some exceptions like Squanto (Tisquantum; he's not even known by his real name, and died in 1622), Massasoit, and the praying towns of eastern MA. Americans have been led to accept a sanitized history flattering to Euro Amer sensibilities.
A Cave, The Pequot War
F Jennings, The Invasion of America
K Kupperman, Indians & English
J Loewen, Lies Across America
____, Lies my Teacher told Me
N Salisbury, Manitou and Providence
____, "Squanto," in Struggle & Survival in Early Amer
Y Kawashima, Igniting King Philip's War
It is a gift to have our knowledge expand as you and Michael exchange information and provide sources. Thank you.
The name Fern has a deep meaning for me now after I watched Frances McDormand play the lead character Fern in Nomadland yesterday. ItтАЩs quite a film. Everyone should see it. It was directed by a Chinese woman who has been nominated as best director for this yearтАЩs oscars. ItтАЩs about many things but mostly about one womanтАЩs grief.
Thank you, Liz. It took me years to accept the name. I was Bonnie at summer camp. On alert to being teased, because Steve Allen, a man of many talents, and the first host of The Tonight Show, often asked male guests, 'How's your fern'? I escaped ridicule and grew up to own the name, perhaps, because I love plants, ferns included.
LetтАЩs just say itтАЩs a timely nameтАФ I love plants and ferns too. Frances McDormand I think chose the nameтАФ IтАЩd call it a no nonsense name.
'No nonsense' is apt in my case, too, Liz.
Me too.
Thanks Fern. Michael and I actually have a minor dispute on 1st Thanksgiving going today, but I look forward to more from him. Michael, you are a skilled phrasemaker. Write on.
Yup. My mother was raised in Braintree and shared your opinion. I remind my self that the last time a schoolbus was bombed was in Southie.
After this pandemic has been blotted out, IтАЩm thinking Thanksgiving will have a deeper meaning than ever.