Join us on Saturday, Oct. 16 at 7 p.m. for a meeting of the WUUC Nonfiction Book Club, hosted by Alaine Davis and Donna Johnson. We will discuss An Indigenous Peoples’ History of the United States (Revisioning History Book 3) by Roxanne Dunbar-Ortiz. Depending on what the world looks like then, we may meet on Zoom or in person. RSVP to Alaine.
Every Sunday we say these words: We acknowledge that this land is the traditional territory of the Coast Salish People. Their presence is imbued in these mountains, valleys, waterways, and shorelines. May we nurture our relationship with our Coast Salish neighbors, and the shared responsibilities to this place, their homelands.
This land acknowledgement is necessary but insufficient if we just say the words and fail to accurately understand the past 400 years of US history. The next steps for WUUC might start with deep inquiry followed by actions that address the legacy of injustice against Native Americans.
An Indigenous People’s History of the United States is a good place to begin. It is “An extraordinary book by Indigenous scholar and activist Roxanne Dunbar-Ortiz that challenges readers to learn US history through a narrative that centers the story, the experiences, and the perspectives of Indigenous peoples. Upending myths and misinformation that have been promulgated by leaders and media, it asks readers to reconsider the origin story of the United States taught to every US school child. Movements in response to global and local environmental emergencies, many involving UUs, are increasingly recognizing the connection between Indigenous rights and climate justice.” *
Goodreads says this about the book: “Today in the United States, there are more than five hundred federally recognized Indigenous nations comprising nearly three million people, descendants of the fifteen million Native people who once inhabited this land. The centuries-long genocidal program of the US settler-colonial regimen has largely been omitted from history. Spanning more than four hundred years, this classic bottom-up peoples’ history radically reframes US history and explodes the silences that have haunted our national narrative.” **
An Indigenous People’s History of the United States asks us to consider how acknowledging the reality of the trauma and resilience of indigenous people and taking steps based on this history might transform our society. Read the book and join us Oct. 16 to share your insights.
Four times a year, the WUUC Book Discussion Group gathers to read and talk about a nonfiction book. You only attend the meetings about books that interest you, so we end up with a different group of participants every time. We meet to connect and talk about a book in depth. Anyone is welcome to suggest a book and/or lead a discussion. Contact Alaine to RSVP, suggest a book, or offer to host a future discussion.
*https://www.uua.org/read/indigenous-peoples
**https://www.goodreads.com/book/show/20588662-an-indigenous-peoples-history-of-the-united-states