Indigenous Peoples’ Day Hours 10/9

In observance of Indigenous People’s Day on Monday, October 9th, the Hirsh Library Service Desk will have shortened hours of 12pm – 7pm with no online chat. Regular hours resume on Tuesday. Building access remains unchanged on Monday, and the service desk will have regular hours on Saturday and Sunday. 

Indigenous Peoples’ Day honors the “sovereignty, resilience, and immense contributions that Native American have made to the world,” as stated in a federal proclamation by President Biden, the first president to formally commemorate the holiday instead of Columbus Day. There are many ways to learn more and recognize the day. You can read about how Indigenous Peoples’ Day provides greater context to American history, especially since most curriculums end their study of Native American history before 1900. You could visit Tufts University Art Galleries from 11am-5pm. In Medford, visit Véxoa: We Know (Nós sabemos), a survey exhibition about Indigenous artists of Brazil. In Boston, visit Double Arrows, feature art by Elizabeth James-Perry, an enrolled member of the Aquinnah Wampanoag. You could listen to this NPR podcast on Osage headrights, a system to give Osage people a share of the profits from the resources extracted from their land. Finally, you could find which Native land(s) you are on, through this interactive, searchable map showing Native territories, languages, treaties, and more.