TOWN OF DURHAM

8 NEWMARKETROAD
DURHAM, NH 03824
Tel: 603/868-5577
Fax: 603/868-7858

September27, 2017

TheHonorable Christopher T. Sununu

Office of Governor
Stateof New Hampshire
State House
107 North Main Street
Concord, NH 03301

Dear Governor Sununu:

Pleasefind enclosedfor your informationa resolution(Resolution#20 17-28),

passedby the Durham Town Council on September18, 2017, designatingthe second
Monday in October as Indigenous Peoples' Day in Durham, NH.

In recentyearstherehasbeena greaterawareness of thewell-documentedhistory

of theAmericas from the time Christopher Columbusset foot on the shoresof whatis
historically referred to as Hispaniola in 1492.Columbus returned three additional times
settingin motion actionsthat would last centuries;the effectsof whicharestill felt today.

TheDurham Town Council believed it was time for the cornmunity to reflect on
thelegacy of theseactions and createa tribute to the peoplethat assistedthe colonists
with the knowledge and understandingof how to survive in an unfamiliar new land and
who made it possiblefor the rest of usto make a life for ourselveson the lands that, in
manycases,were taken from the original inhabitants.

The Durham Town Council further believes this tribute should also be realized at
theState level, and thereforerespectfully encouragesthe Office of Governorand the
Stateof NewHampshireLegislatureto give seriousconsiderationto alsodesignatingthe
secondMondayin Octoberas "IndigenousPeoples' Day ", therebysettingan example
for other statesthroughout the nation to emulate.

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Letter to the Honorable Christopher T. Sununu
September27,2017-Page2

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Enclosure:Resolution
#2017-28, Durham, NH

c: Senator
Chuck Morse, President of theNH Senate
TamrnyWright, NH SenateClerk
SenatorMartha Fuller Clark
RepresentativeShawn N. Jasper,NH Speakerof theHouse
NH Houseof Representatives,Clerk's Office
RepresentativeWayneBurton
RepresentativeTimothy Horrigan
RepresentativeMar1oneSmith
RepresentativeJudith Spang
RepresentativeJanetWall
New Hampshu-eCornmission for Native American Affairs