ALLENTOWN, Pa. - Representatives from the Museum of Indian Culture and Delaware Nation of Anadarko were invited to City Hall for a flag raising, marking Native American Heritage Month.
- Allentown City Hall raised a flag to commemorate Native American Heritage Month today
- Mayor Matt Tuerk spoke, as well as County Executive Phillips Armstrong. Both acknowledged the U.S. has not treated Indigenous People well throughout history
- Museum of Indian Culture president Jack Johnson said it's meaningful and appreciated, but there is still a long road ahead to reconciliation
The Delaware Nation of Anardako is a federally-recognized Lenape Tribal Nation, with roots in Eastern Pennsylvania and Allentown.
Allentown Mayor Matt Tuerk, as well as Lehigh County Executive Phillips Armstrong also gave speeches, thanking guests. They acknowledged that the treatment of Native Americans has been tragic.
Armstrong gave an impassioned, unscripted speech, looking over at Jack Johnson, president of the Museum of Indian Culture in Allentown, and shaking his hand after.
"There is a movement now, for a lot of Americans to not look at some of the things that we did in history," he said. "And that's, I think, the worst things that could happen."
Armstrong referenced his time as a history teacher (for 40 years, he said) and said he made it his mission to share the knowledge of the U.S.'s treatment of Indigenous People, with the hope that something like that wouldn't happen again.
Johnson said Armstrong's remarks, as well as the rest of the commemoration, were appreciated and meaningful,
"It's like an arrow, you know the arrow has to go back before it can go forward," he said. "And that's what we plan to do with history."
Johnson was not shy about admitting there is more that needs to be done — although he made his appreciation for Monday's ceremony clear.
"It's a celebration of being recognized. This is a day of reflection," he said. "We have to honor the past and shape the future."
Johnson was also given a plaque from Allentown City Hall to commemorate his commitment to Native American issues in the city.
November is Native American History Month. The tradition dates back to 1990, during the George H.W. Bush Administration.
