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The Fourth of July is a national holiday that many Native Americans have a hard time celebrating. The reasons vary, but one reason is that it reminds them of what was lost to many tribal communities to make room for what is now the United States.

Join Levi Rickert, publisher and editor of Native News Online, on Thursday, July 4, as he interviews author and lecturer Mark Charles (Navajo) about how he observes Independence Day. 

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In June 2015, Charles  wrote an op/ed for Native News Online, entitled “The Dilemma of the Fourth of July.” We publish it every year. And, every year it is well received by our readers.

A provocative thinker, Charles links the Declaration of Independence to the Doctrine of Discovery, a topic he examines in his widely received book, "Unsettling Truths: The Ongoing, Dehumanizing Legacy of the Doctrine of Discovery." 

During the interview, Charles provides a history lesson of why many Native Americans choose not to celebrate Independence Day.

Tune in to Native Bidaské LIVE this Thursday, July 4, at 12 Noon ET on Native News Online's Facebook, X (Twitter), or YouTube channel.

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