Land Acknowledgement
On March 14, 2022, the Chelmsford Select Board signed a Land Acknowledgement Proclamation which was drafted by a subcommittee of the Town’s Diversity, Equity and Inclusion Committee, library staff, and Select Board member, Pat Wojtas. This important first step seeks to recognize the painful history of genocide and forced removal from this land and honor the Indigenous peoples that are still connected to this land now known as Chelmsford.
Town of Chelmsford Land Acknowledgement
The Town of Chelmsford acknowledges that its land, upon which the government buildings, town common, and libraries are situated, is the traditional and ancestral territory of many diverse Indigenous Nations and we strive to honor these peoples.
We acknowledge the history of genocide and forced removal from this land, now known as Chelmsford, and we honor the Indigenous peoples still connected to this land on which we live, work, and learn. This area comprises, in part, the homelands of the Pawtucket-Pennacook–Abenaki, and their close neighbors the Massachusett and Nipmuc peoples.
The Town of Chelmsford extends our deepest respect to citizens of these Nations who live here and elsewhere today and to their ancestors who have lived here for generations.
AARP Community Challenge Grant
In the fall of 2022, we were one of 260 libraries nation-wide to receive an AARP Community Challenge grant to help our community be a great place to live for residents of all ages.
With the help of an intergenerational team of volunteers, we’ve established informational kiosks and freestanding mini libraries throughout town — near historical markers, in public parks, and at trailheads – that will increase community awareness of Chelmsford history and help make connections between the present and the past.
The Trails & Tales mini libraries house assorted books written by Indigenous authors as well as books about local Indigenous nations and their history, present, and future. This project empowers Indigenous peoples within our community and beyond, and directs residents and visitors alike to resources regarding Chelmsford history, local Indigenous nations, and the shared land on which we all work, learn, and play.
Resources
Local Indigenous Nations
The Cowasuck Band of the Pennacook-Abenaki People
The Massachusett Tribe at Ponkapoag
Library and Town Resources
- View the accompanying Land Acknowledgment Frequently Asked Questions brochure to learn more about Land Acknowledgements and how you and/or your organization can uplift and affirm local Indigenous peoples.
- Visit the Town of Chelmsford’s Diversity, Equity, and Inclusion Committee site.
- Visit our Chelmsford History page for relevant historical documents regarding the Town’s history.
- Visit our Civic Engagement and Social Justice page.
- Visit the ‘Diversity’ tab on the Chelmsford Historical Society’s site.
- View the Massachusetts Library System’s What is a Land Acknowledgement? LibGuide.