Remove the "Indian Head" emblem from BMHS
Remove the "Indian Head" emblem from BMHS
The Issue
The BMHS “indian” head emblem was instituted in 1916 from the Howe School and remains to this day. BMHS has never acknowledged those originally on this land and continues to prop up a nameless and faceless "Indian" head emblem; you cannot honor a people you don't even know the names of. Learn the history, learn the truth of genocide and forced expulsion of the Pennacook-Abenaki people native to this area: Shawshin. We call for the REMOVAL of racist stereotyping imagery. The native peoples of Shawshin and of the Merrimack Valley have mostly relocated north due to war, violence and genocide. The Pennacook-Abenaki people live in so called New Hampshire and so called Canada.The Pennacook- Abenaki peoples are still in existence; they are not a relic of the past but are in the present, acknowledge them.
Billerica leads its community in ignorance, illustrated by the Billerica Historical Society’s lack of recognition of the bloody history of Billerica's founding. If the maintenance of “tradition” involves the exclusion and appropriation of indigenous minorities within our community then it should be done away with.
We are BMHS Students and Alumni opposed to the “Indian” head emblem; striving for change. Students and alumni at Billerica Memorial Highschool (BMHS) in Billerica, MA are seeking to remove the “Indian” head emblem and name from our highschool’s building, merch, and sports culture. The Pennacook Abenaki people are still in existence, acknowledge and support their efforts to remove indigenous mascots. If you support the removal of the racist stereotyping imagery please sign below.
Additional resources:
Instagram: @not_ur_emblem
The Cowasuck band of the Pennacook and Abenaki People:
https://www.facebook.com/cowasuck
Research group’s blog site; check out Indigenous NH Collaborative Collective (INHCC) at INHCC – Indigenous New Hampshire Collaborative Collective (indigenousnh.com)
Email and Call your local School Committee members and Principal:
Principal - Thomas Murphy - tmurphy@billericak12.com
Phone#: 978-528-8711
Superintendent - Mr. Tim Piwowar - tpiwowar@billericak12.com
Phone#: 978-528-7908
Chairperson - Mr. Mark Efstratiou - mefstratiou@billericak12.com
Vice-Chair - Ms. Darlene Torre - dtorre@billericak12.com
Secretary - Mr. James F. Gately II - jgately@billericak12.com
Member - Mr. Michael Domina - mdomina@billericak12.com
Member- Ms. Annette Famolare - afamolare@billericak12.com
150
The Issue
The BMHS “indian” head emblem was instituted in 1916 from the Howe School and remains to this day. BMHS has never acknowledged those originally on this land and continues to prop up a nameless and faceless "Indian" head emblem; you cannot honor a people you don't even know the names of. Learn the history, learn the truth of genocide and forced expulsion of the Pennacook-Abenaki people native to this area: Shawshin. We call for the REMOVAL of racist stereotyping imagery. The native peoples of Shawshin and of the Merrimack Valley have mostly relocated north due to war, violence and genocide. The Pennacook-Abenaki people live in so called New Hampshire and so called Canada.The Pennacook- Abenaki peoples are still in existence; they are not a relic of the past but are in the present, acknowledge them.
Billerica leads its community in ignorance, illustrated by the Billerica Historical Society’s lack of recognition of the bloody history of Billerica's founding. If the maintenance of “tradition” involves the exclusion and appropriation of indigenous minorities within our community then it should be done away with.
We are BMHS Students and Alumni opposed to the “Indian” head emblem; striving for change. Students and alumni at Billerica Memorial Highschool (BMHS) in Billerica, MA are seeking to remove the “Indian” head emblem and name from our highschool’s building, merch, and sports culture. The Pennacook Abenaki people are still in existence, acknowledge and support their efforts to remove indigenous mascots. If you support the removal of the racist stereotyping imagery please sign below.
Additional resources:
Instagram: @not_ur_emblem
The Cowasuck band of the Pennacook and Abenaki People:
https://www.facebook.com/cowasuck
Research group’s blog site; check out Indigenous NH Collaborative Collective (INHCC) at INHCC – Indigenous New Hampshire Collaborative Collective (indigenousnh.com)
Email and Call your local School Committee members and Principal:
Principal - Thomas Murphy - tmurphy@billericak12.com
Phone#: 978-528-8711
Superintendent - Mr. Tim Piwowar - tpiwowar@billericak12.com
Phone#: 978-528-7908
Chairperson - Mr. Mark Efstratiou - mefstratiou@billericak12.com
Vice-Chair - Ms. Darlene Torre - dtorre@billericak12.com
Secretary - Mr. James F. Gately II - jgately@billericak12.com
Member - Mr. Michael Domina - mdomina@billericak12.com
Member- Ms. Annette Famolare - afamolare@billericak12.com
150
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Petition created on March 14, 2022