Wellesley college has an official land acknowledgement, developed in cooperation with some of the local tribes with Indigenous students:
We acknowledge that Wellesley College is built on ancestral and traditional land of the Massachusett people. We also recognize that the United States’ removal, termination, and assimilation policies and practices resulted in the forced settlement of Indigenous lands and the attempted erasure of Indigenous cultures and languages. We further acknowledge the oppression, injustices, and discrimination that Indigenous people have endured and that there is much work to be done on the important journey to reconciliation. We commit to strengthen our understanding of the history and contemporary lives of Indigenous peoples and to steward this land.
We further recognize the many Indigenous people living here today—including the Massachusett, Wampanoag, and Nipmuc nations—who have rich ancestral histories in Wellesley and its surrounding communities. Today, their descendants remind us that they are still here, where they maintain a vital and visible presence. We honor and respect the enduring relationship between these peoples and this land, as well as the strength of Indigenous culture and knowledge, the continued existence of tribal sovereignty, and the principle of tribal self-determination.
Beyond this official acknowledgement, I recognize that I am on stolen land, and I extend my gratitude to the many Indigenous peoples who have rich histories here for their ongoing stewardship of the land. I commit to recognizing, supporting, and advocating for the sovereignty of the Indigenous Nations whose traditional territories are in the Commonwealth of Massachusetts, as well as for the many Indigenous peoples who live, work and study in Wellesley and Massachusetts. By offering this land acknowledgment, I affirm Indigenous sovereignty and commit to holding Wellesley College more accountable to the needs of Indigenous peoples.
More information on some the people living today whose ancestors lived in the area can be found at the following links (this list is not exhaustive):