Being cool Quote by James W. Loewen
“You go to towns in Massachusetts, Greenfield, first settled in 1686. Wouldn’t it be cool if it said, “Greenfield. First settled c. 13,000 B.P. or approximately 13,000 Before the Present. Resettled.” Maybe we could say even, “Resettled by whites,” Or, “Resettled anyway, 1686.” It would have a different impact. And of course it would help explain why the town is called Greenfield, because it was a green field and the fields were left by Native people who had already been farming them.”
About This Quote
Source Book: Lies My Teacher Told Me, 2007
The passage critiques how historical narratives erase Indigenous presence, suggesting alternative wording would expose colonization’s impact.
In simple terms: History often hides native peoples; naming can reveal truth.
Key Takeaway
Re‑examine place names to acknowledge original inhabitants.
Themes
history revision
colonial critique
place naming
Mood
critical
educational
Type
historical
social
When to use this quote
- school curricula
- local museums
- community forums
- tourist guides
Key Concepts
postcolonial studies
critical geography
public memory
Questions to Reflect On
- How would you rewrite local histories?
- What effect does naming have on collective memory?
A Different Perspective
Changing names may meet resistance from entrenched narratives.
![“No matter how thoroughly Native Americans acculturated, they could not succeed in white society. Whites would not let them. "Indians were always regarded as aliens, and were rarely allowed to live within white society except on its periphery," according to [Gary] Nash. Native Americans who amassed…” quote by James W. Loewen](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/img-quotes/31e/james-w-loewen-12569_acculturated_no-matter-how-thoroughly-native-american_489063.jpg)
