Smathers Libraries Land Acknowledgment: Statements for Library Employees

The Smathers Libraries acknowledge that for thousands of years the area now comprising the state of Florida has been, and continues to be, home to many Native Nations. We further recognize that the main campus of the University of Florida is located on the ancestral territory of the Potano and of the Seminole peoples. The Potano, of Timucua affiliation, lived here in the Alachua region from before European arrival until the destruction of their towns in the early 1700s. The Seminole, also known as the Alachua Seminole, established towns here shortly after but were forced from the land as a result of a series of wars with the United States known as the Seminole Wars. The Smathers Libraries acknowledge its obligation to honor the past, present, and future Native residents and cultures of Florida.  

Beyond the Gainesville campus, the Smathers Libraries serve many locations statewide that occupy the ancestral and present homelands of the Ais, Apalachee, Calusa, Creek, Miccosukee, and Yamasee as well as many other Native peoples who lived in this region since time immemorial. These lands have been, and continue to be, the site of residence, gathering, and ceremony for numerous Native communities.  

An acknowledgment of the land is a formal statement that recognizes Indigenous Peoples as the traditional stewards of the land and acknowledges the enduring relationship between them and their traditional territories. The purpose of this statement is to raise awareness of this relationship as well as the complex histories that led to the forceful removal of Native Americans from their ancestral lands in what today is recognized as the state of Florida.  

As a Land Grant Institution, the University of Florida directly benefitted from the Land Grant College Act, otherwise known as the Morrill Act of 1862. Some of the ‘public’ lands that were sold to fund the construction and expansion of the university were lands taken from the Seminole Nation as a result of the Seminole Wars. We, the Smathers Libraries, acknowledge the painful history of forced removal that occurred on these lands and the benefits that have been afforded to us as a result of the disenfranchisement, displacement, and death of so many. This history informs and inspires our work as a cultural heritage and information system committed to supporting all people. 

In order to honor our commitment to the Native peoples and cultures of Florida and put our land acknowledgement statement to work, we have developed the following action items. This list is only the beginning as we continue to build relationships with Indigenous communities both within and outside the UF campus. The purpose of these action items is to serve and support Native community members, Indigenous research and scholarship, and bring about awareness of the historic realities that have led us to a place where land acknowledgments are necessary. 

• Notes:

  • This more formal version of the Libraries’ land acknowledgment is intended to reflect the Libraries’ dedication to upholding its commitment to diversity, equity, inclusion, and justice. Examples of appropriate use of this version include: larger documents such as research papers, syllabi, LibGuides, websites, and more. 
  • This longer, static version of the acknowledgment may be used to create shorter, less formal land acknowledgments if the email and social media variations offered here are found to be insufficient for a particular application. Shorter land acknowledgments can link out to this lengthier version as a channel for additional information and resources.

“The University of Florida is located on the ancestral lands of the Potano and the Seminole peoples. We acknowledge our obligation to honor the ancestral, present, and future Native residents and cultures of Florida.” 

• Notes:

  • This is intended to be used primarily at the beginning of events as a spoken acknowledgment to accompany oral/visual presentations. It should come after you introduce yourself and the other presenters/speakers and the topic of the presentation, but before the actual presentation begins.
  • The associated presentation slide has been created for use if the oral presentation is accompanied with a visual presentation. The design of the slide (color, layout) may be changed to suit the presentation style. 

Email Signature

The Smathers Libraries acknowledge that the main (Gainesville) campus of the University of Florida is located in the ancestral territory of the Potano and Seminole peoples. The Smathers Libraries acknowledge its obligation to honor the past, present, and future Native residents and cultures of Florida.   

Social Media 

The Smathers Libraries acknowledge that the University of Florida is located in the ancestral territory of the Potano and Seminole peoples. We acknowledge our obligation to honor the past, present, & future Native residents & cultures of Florida.  

• Notes:

  • Email and social media land acknowledgment text and posts should be kept very brief and only used when appropriate. The statements offered here are based on the formal statement and have been drafted for use by the Libraries’ employees. 

  • Twitter, Instagram, and Facebook have limitations on the number of characters/words that can be included in a social media post. Facebook “about” can be a bit longer than most posts.