Land Acknowledgment

Commitments

Commitments

Brown’s land acknowledgment is one of a set of commitments the University has made to establish a foundation for strengthening relationships with the Indigenous peoples of this region.

In 2022, Brown University established a set of commitments to help build meaningful relationships with the Narragansett Indian Tribe and other Indigenous peoples and increase understanding of their lived experiences.

The commitments were adapted from recommendations offered to President Christina H. Paxson in Spring 2022 by a Land Acknowledgment Working Group. As significant and important changes in the regional tribal landscape and at Brown continued to inform approaches to fulfilling the commitments, the University issued a status report on the Land Acknowledgment commitments in Spring 2026. This included an updated action-oriented framework for realizing the core goals of the original commitments.

It has been important for the University to recognize and respect the relational dynamics with regional tribal nations, Indigenous communities and the Narragansett Indian Tribe, which continue to shape tribal engagement and Brown’s ability to advance the original land acknowledgment commitments. Even as some of the original commitments proved to be more immediately feasible than others, the University continues to work toward outcomes that support the intent and expected positive impact.

See the 2026 Status Report and Inventory of Tribal Engagement Initiatives

Commitments and Updated Framework

The University is dedicated to an action-oriented framework aligned with the 2022 commitments:

1. 2022 Commitment

The University will adopt the official land acknowledgment statement developed by the Land Acknowledgment Working Group and supported by the Narragansett Indian Tribe. Education and guidance for its use will be provided to the community on a land acknowledgment website, and members of the Brown community are strongly encouraged to follow this guidance when they choose to use a land acknowledgment.

Updated Framework for Ongoing Work

  • Ongoing recognition that the University is located within the ancestral homelands of the Narragansett Indian Tribe, including public education and acknowledgment of this recognition [Effective May 24, 2022, Brown community members could choose to use the land acknowledgment.]

2. 2022 Commitment

The University will commission and support new original scholarship regarding the origins and founding of Brown University and its relationships to the Indigenous peoples in and around what is now southern New England. Recognizing the preliminary nature of the Land Acknowledgment Working Group’s findings, new scholarship commissioned by the University will include collaboration between Indigenous peoples of the region and the John Carter Brown Library, the Native American and Indigenous Studies Initiative and other academic units at Brown.

Updated Framework for Ongoing Work

  • Advancing education and scholarship regarding Indigenous peoples in and around what is now southern New England
  • Facilitating opportunities for collaborative research to further advance solutions to pressing concerns that benefit stakeholders and partners in advancing understanding of Native and Indigenous history and contemporary issues, including shared resources with Native and Indigenous peoples for this work

3. 2022 Commitment

The University will establish a working group to work closely with the Narragansett Indian Tribe to explore how Brown can effectively honor and memorialize its College Hill location as part of the homeland of the Narragansett people.

Updated Framework for Ongoing Work

  • Recognition that the University is located within the ancestral homelands of the Narragansett Indian Tribe, including public education and acknowledgment of this recognition [This aligns also with Commitment 2 from 2022.]

4. 2022 Commitment

The University will support increased educational opportunities and access for youth of the Narragansett Indian Tribe and other tribal youth from New England. To advance this work, Brown will establish a working group in Fall 2022 to coordinate efforts around existing initiatives, including Summer@Brown, Brown Summer High School, the College Access initiative, and other programs.

Updated Framework for Ongoing Work

  • Supporting educational outcomes and access initiatives that benefit Native and Indigenous youth
  • Strengthening and expanding community engagement to address community challenges identified by Native and Indigenous communities by creating clearer pathways to best engage with the University

5. 2022 Commitment

The University will increase investment in the Native American and Indigenous Studies Initiative (NAISI) and the Native Americans at Brown (NAB) student organization. This will include building support for the new NAISI faculty director and the Critical Native American and Indigenous Studies undergraduate concentration, a new offering as of the Fall 2022 semester. This also will include establishing a residential program house in the 2022-23 academic year that centers on community building for Native and Indigenous students and those with an interest in Native and Indigenous studies and the historical and contemporary experiences of Indigenous peoples (this work is underway).

Updated Framework for Ongoing Work

  • Continued strategic investments and support for Brown's Native American and Indigenous Studies Initiative (NAISI) to advance knowledge and understanding of the traditions, histories and experiences of Native American and Indigenous peoples
  • Building community at Brown and locally among those dedicated to honoring and celebrating Native and Indigenous peoples, and cultivating and building understanding of Native and Indigenous history and experiences

Efforts aligned with the commitments continue to move forward through the University’s established governance processes and/or under the guidance of groups identified to act on their implementation.