The following message was sent by President Gregory L. Fenves and Interim Provost Jan Love to the Emory community on Oct. 9, 2020.

Dear members of the Emory community,

On October 12, we will join communities throughout the nation to recognize Indigenous Peoples’ Day and honor the resilience, history, traditions, and cultures of Indigenous and Native American peoples. 

Emory’s recognition includes consideration of the first inhabitants of the land that our campus now calls home — a land whose history can be traced to the Muscogee Creek Nation. As the Muscogee Creek community continues to confront systemic racism, and as our university acknowledges its own difficult histories, we believe it is important to honor those faculty, staff, and students who create vibrant spaces of inclusion on our campus for Native and Indigenous voices. Their work is defining a new legacy at Emory — one that empowers those whose talents and gifts were overlooked and marginalized for generations.

We are proud that, for the first time at Emory, we are formally recognizing Indigenous Peoples’ Day and acknowledging its significance within our community and beyond.

In celebration of this observance, on Monday, October 12, at 4 p.m. (via Zoom) Professor of English Craig Womack (Creek) will chair a panel discussion entitled McGirt v. Oklahoma: Understanding the Implications of the Recent Supreme Court Decision Across Native America, which will explore the impact of the recent landmark decision regarding the Creek Nation for Oklahoma tribal nations and other parts of Indian Country.   

We encourage our community to spend time reflecting on our history and to consider ways to advance human rights and social justice at Emory and in the world. 

Sincerely, 

Gregory L.  Fenves
President 

Jan Love
Interim Provost and Executive Vice President for Academic Affairs