United American Indians of New England
Encyclopedia
The United American Indians of New England (UAINE) is a Native American
Native Americans in the United States
Native Americans in the United States are the indigenous peoples in North America within the boundaries of the present-day continental United States, parts of Alaska, and the island state of Hawaii. They are composed of numerous, distinct tribes, states, and ethnic groups, many of which survive as...

 activist organization founded by Frank James. Also known as Wamsutta
Wamsutta
Wamsutta , also known as Alexander Pokanoket, as he was called by New England colonists, was the eldest son of Massasoit and a sachem of the Wampanoag native American tribe. His sale of Wampanoag lands to colonists other than those of the Plymouth Colony brought the Wampanoag considerable power,...

, Frank James was the leader of the Wampanoag people. He founded the United American Indians of New England after being “uninvited” to make a speech at a celebration hosted by the Commonwealth of Massachusetts. The Commonwealth wanted to celebrate the friendly relations of their forefathers and the Wampanoag people; however, when the speech that Mr. James was going to give was reviewed it was deemed inappropriate for the celebration because it focused on the negative ways the Wampanoag people had been treated by the Pilgrims at Plymouth
Plymouth Colony
Plymouth Colony was an English colonial venture in North America from 1620 to 1691. The first settlement of the Plymouth Colony was at New Plymouth, a location previously surveyed and named by Captain John Smith. The settlement, which served as the capital of the colony, is today the modern town...

 and did not celebrate the brotherhood the planners wanted to show. When he was given a revised speech that was written by a person in public relations, Mr. James decided that he would not attend the celebration. Instead he chose to protest the silencing of the Native Americans by gathering supporters, going to Cole's Hill
Cole's Hill
Cole's Hill is a National Historic Landmark containing the first cemetery used by the Pilgrims in Plymouth, Massachusetts in 1620. The hill is located on Carver Street near the foot of Leyden Street and across the street from Plymouth Rock.-History:...

 overlooking Plymouth Harbor
Plymouth Harbor
Plymouth Harbor is the name of a harbor located in Plymouth, Massachusetts, a town in the South Shore region of the state. It is part of the larger Plymouth Bay. Historically, Plymouth Harbor was the site of anchorage of the Mayflower where the Pilgrims offloaded to establish a permanent...

, and giving his speech there. The supporters he gathered on that day became the United American Indians of New England; this group still leads the National Day of Mourning each year to continue what James started.

UAINE Today

Today UANIE is an organization of and led by Native people and their supporters. The goal of UANIE is to fight back against racism towards native people, the issues of the Pilgrim mythology perpetuated in Plymouth, and the United States assault on poor people. They also are fighting for the freedom of Leonard Peltier
Leonard Peltier
Leonard Peltier is a Native American activist and member of the American Indian Movement . In 1977 he was convicted and sentenced to two consecutive terms of life imprisonment for first degree murder in the shooting of two Federal Bureau of Investigation agents during a 1975 conflict on the Pine...

 as well as other political prisoner
Political prisoner
According to the Longman Dictionary of Contemporary English, a political prisoner is ‘someone who is in prison because they have opposed or criticized the government of their own country’....

s. They work to support Indigenous struggles in New England and throughout America. They also protest the use of racist terms used as team names and mascots
Native American mascot controversy
The propriety of using Native American mascots and images in sports has been a topic of debate in the United States and Canada since the 1960s.Americans have had a history of drawing inspiration from native peoples and "playing Indian" that dates back at least to the 18th century...

 in sports teams throughout the country. To get their message out they speak to children at schools and at universities. They welcome the support of Indigenous people from all parts of the Americas as well as the support from non-Native people. They hold a strong believe that it is their duty to support all those who struggle including the lesbian and gay community
Gay community
The gay community, or LGBT community, is a loosely defined grouping of LGBT and LGBT-supportive people, organizations and subcultures, united by a common culture and civil rights movements. These communities generally celebrate pride, diversity, individuality, and sexuality...

, the disabled, and other communities of color. UAINE receives no funding from the government and relies solely on the support of others any money they may receive from speaking engagement go directly to UAINE coffers. There are no paid staff members of UAINE.
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