The Signs Are All Around Us

In January 2022, Sudbury Clergy Association (SCA) members sent a letter to the Sudbury Diversity, Equity, and Inclusion Commission (SDEIC) voicing concerns about the language on four of the five Tercentenary historical markers posted along the major roads in Sudbury. The letter stated, in part, the following:

“Three of Sudbury’s public markers suggest, without providing any context, that during the so-called King Philip’s War, colonial settlers were defending their land from attacks by First Peoples… Since First Peoples resided on this land for thousands of years before colonial settlers arrived, in the broader context, they can be understood to have been defending their ancestral land from invasion by colonial settlers.”

The letter then suggested the SDEIC look into the matter and begin a conversation about the depictions of Indigenous peoples on public markers. After discussing the letter, the SDEIC invited representatives of the SCA and other groups to meet and further discuss the issue. The idea of a community forum came about as a result of these conversations. “After a few meetings, it became clear that an event was needed to bring in additional voices,” noted Katina Fontes, President of Athina Education. “The Signs Are All Around Us: A Community Forum on History, Memory, & Roadside Markers” will occur on Sunday, April 2nd, at 2:00 at the Goodnow Library in Sudbury.

The markers highlighted by the SCA were placed along roads throughout Massachusetts in 1930 to commemorate the Massachusetts Bay Colony Tercentenary. Each gives a short description of events at or near the marked location, including past conflicts and wars. The signs are maintained and under the jurisdiction of the Massachusetts Department of Transportation. “The signs are all around us, yet many people do not notice them, let alone stop to read them,” said Fontes. “Which leads to many questions about representation and relevance in 2023.”

The forum will begin with a moderated panel discussion about the tercentenary markers and be followed by small-group conversations about how signs and memorials shape our view of history. The panel will include Nipmuc representative Andre Strongbearheart Gaines, Jr., Sudbury Town Historian Jan Hardenbergh, First Parish Minister Rev. Kathleen Hepler, Sudbury Historical Society Executive Director Rachael Robinson, and Sudbury for Racial and Social Justice Representative Debbie Howell, and will be moderated by Dr. Fontes. During the second part of the program, everyone at the event is invited to participate in the facilitated small-group conversations.

The forum, hosted by Athina Education, is free and open to the public. It is supported in part by a grant from the Sudbury Cultural Council, a local agency that is supported by the Mass Cultural Council, a state agency. More information is available at https://www.athinaeducation.or...