From the Macy’s Day Parade with enormous floating cartoons to presidents pardoning turkeys, the most American of holidays rests on the centuries-old story that Pilgrims and Native people held a feast of goodwill that spawned the annual turkey tradition observed across the U.S.
Colrain honors Pequot Nation activist William Apess
Jim Peters expresses appreciation to the town of Colrain for its commemoration of William Apess on Friday outside the Griswold Memorial Library. Peters is a member of the Mashpee Wampanoag tribe and has been executive director of the Massachusetts Commission on Indian Affairs for 20 years. FOR THE RECORDER/ELLA ADAMS
Elders of the Mashpee Wampanoag applaud event speakers at the inaugural William Apess Day in Colrain on Friday. From left are Jodie Keegan, Marleen Lopez and Gail Hendricks-Hill. FOR THE RECORDER/ELLA ADAMS
Rhonda Anderson speaks at Friday’s William Apess Day event in Colrain. Anderson is Western Massachusetts commissioner on Indian Affairs and founder and co-director of the Ohketeau Cultural Center and the Native Youth Empowerment Foundation. FOR THE RECORDER/ELLA ADAMS