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Evanston Township High School and the community it serves stand on the traditional homelands of the Council of the Three Fires: the Ojibwe, Odawa, and Potawatomi, as well as the Menominee, Miami, and Ho-Chunk nations. These lands were also a site of agriculture, thriving trade networks, and gathering for more than a dozen other Indigenous nations, and remain home to over 100,000 tribal members with whom we share a community.

As we gather to learn, we honor and respect the enduring relationship that exists between these peoples and this land. We recognize the rich cultural heritage and contributions of Indigenous nations past and present and the Indigenous members of our local community—including our students and alumni—who continue to share their traditions, stories, and knowledge with us.

Equally important is the recognition of the historic and ongoing injustices that Indigenous peoples have endured and continue to face. Throughout the history of the United States, the federal government has oppressed, displaced, and forcibly removed many Indigenous peoples from their traditional lands and enacted policies with the intention of erasing native cultures, languages, and beliefs. This included using schools as instruments of forced assimilation against Native Americans, aiming to erase their cultural identities.

The history of the city of Evanston, named after John Evans, is intertwined with the historical legacy of violence and oppression against Native peoples. During his tenure as Governor of Colorado and Territorial Superintendent of Indian Affairs, John Evans issued a proclamation authorizing citizens of Colorado “to kill and destroy, as enemies of the country…all hostile Indians.” His proclamation led to the Sand Creek Massacre, which claimed the lives of approximately 200 Cheyenne and Arapaho people—most of whom were women, children, and elders—on November 29, 1864. It is considered one of the worst atrocities committed by U.S. soldiers.

As an educational institution, the district bears a responsibility to disseminate knowledge about Indigenous peoples and their history, acknowledging that our founding came at a dire cost to Native nations. Native voices and perspectives have historically been absent, erased, or altered in public education. Consistent with our commitment to equity and justice, we express solidarity with Indigenous peoples in their ongoing struggles and pledge to create a learning environment that respects and values Indigenous histories and cultures. We commit to ongoing education and action that supports justice, healing, and reconciliation for Indigenous communities in Evanston and beyond.