This Land Is Their Land: The Wampanoag Indians, Plymouth Colony, and the Troubled History of Thanksgiving
(Bloomsbury, 2019)

Please join us on Thursday, November 5, at 5 p.m., for a 2020 Virtual History Book Festival “Spirited Discussion” with David J. Silverman, author of This Land Is Their Land: The Wampanoag Indians, Plymouth Colony, and the Troubled History of Thanksgiving (Bloomsbury, 2019). This event is free but registration is required.

About the book
The year 2020 marks the 400th anniversary of the sailing of the Mayflower. This book looks at the Plymouth colony’s founding events through the eyes of the Wampanoag people, who have long contended that the tale of the first Thanksgiving that most Americans are familiar with is not history but a myth that sugar coats the viciousness of colonialism for Native peoples. The Pilgrims were not arriving at a desolate wilderness: in fact, human civilization in the Americas was as rich and ancient as in Europe. Personal stories and oral histories highlight the Wampanoags’ ongoing struggle for self-determination.

About the author
David J. Silverman is a professor at George Washington University, where he specializes in Native American, Colonial American, and American racial history. He lives in Philadelphia.

How to attend the online event
The event will be shared using Zoom—an easy, reliable platform for video and audio conferencing. Here are basic written instructions for using Zoom and a brief video tutorial.

All registered attendees will receive a follow-up email from “LibCal” with Zoom log-in information. If you don’t receive this email after registering, please check your SPAM folder. If you still can’t locate the email, please contact info@historybookfestival.org.

Purchase the book
Please help support local independent bookstores by purchasing this book at Browseabout Books, official bookseller of the History Book Festival. Online sources and digital versions are tempting; however, supporting local brick and mortar shops helps to preserve our vibrant main streets. Drop by Browseabout, order books online, or call the store at 302-226-2665. You also may purchase a copy at biblion in Lewes. Each copy purchased comes with a signed archival bookplate.

About the Festival
2020 Virtual History Book Festival: Bring History Home is sponsored by Delaware Humanities and The Lee Ann Wilkinson Group.

The HBF “Spirited Discussion” is one of the types of programming offered this year at 2020 Virtual History Book Festival: Bring History Home. We are extremely grateful for the virtual venue and assistance in event promotion provided by the Lewes Public Library, in conjunction with the Delaware Division of Libraries and Sussex County Libraries.