Mashantuckets remember massacre of 1637

The Mashantucket Pequot Tribe, Foxwoods Resort Casino and its enterprises will mark the 375th anniversary of the Battle of Mystic Fort with a moment of silence at 9 a.m. today.

In 1637, English colonists and their Indian allies attacked and burned the fort, killing more than 400 Pequot men, women and children in what's considered a defining moment in American history, according to the National Park Service. The massacre decimated the Pequots, with those not sold into slavery eventually forced onto reservations.

The tribe will celebrate its survival during its annual Pequot Days June 6-9.

"We have a tremendous pride in the strength and perseverance of our ancestors," said Rodney Butler, chairman of the Mashantucket Pequot Tribal Council. "It is their will that lives on in us today, and our revival from near extinction is nothing short of remarkable."