BBC World Service Europe and the Middle East

Migrated podcast image for: Boston Calling

Boston Calling

Discussion & Talk

Factual

Agree to Disagree

How the world looks through American eyes, and the myriad and unexpected ways that the world influences the United States.

Boston Calling: Un-Thanksgiving

Un-Thanksgiving

24/11/2018 GMT

BBC World Service - Boston Calling, Un-Thanksgiving

Not all Americans celebrate Thanksgiving; for many native people, it’s a day of sorrow

Not all Americans celebrate Thanksgiving; for many native people, it’s a day of sorrow.

In November of 1969, a group of Native Americans occupied the notorious prison island of Alcatraz to protest about federal policies that discriminated against their people. The movement gained momentum on Thanksgiving when hundreds of Native American activists joined the occupation. To this day, every Thanksgiving, Native American groups hold an event on the island that they call Unthanksgiving Day.

Also: We tell the real story of Squanto, the Native American at the centre of the Thanksgiving legend; We look into the history of Native Americans being forcefully separated from their families; We recount the ongoing case of the indigenous Sinixt, a tribe that the Canadian government says doesn’t exist; Finally, we dive deep into a story about the lost language of the Miami tribe.  

(The welcome sign at the entrance to Alcatraz Island, in San Francisco Bay Credit: Timothy A. Clary/Getty Images)

BBC World Service

BBC World Service schedule for American satellite radio and the Caribbean

BBC World Service Americas and the Caribbean

BBC World Service Australasia

BBC World Service East and Southern Africa Schedule

BBC World Service East and Southern Africa

BBC World Service South Asia

BBC World Service News Internet

BBC World Service West and Central Africa Schedule

Accessibility links

Programme Index

Boston Calling

Un-Thanksgiving

Genres

Formats

Brand

BBC World Service Europe and the Middle East

About BBC World Service