Native American Heritage Month
Native American Heritage Month
Known more commonly as American Indian and Alaska Native Heritage Month, National Native American Heritage Month honors the significant contributions made by Native Americans while also celebrating a rich and varied culture, history, and customs.
The History
National Native American Heritage Month is celebrated each year in November. It is a time to celebrate the traditions, languages and stories of Native American, Alaska Native, Native Hawaiian, and affiliated Island communities and ensure their rich histories and contributions continue to thrive with each generation.
Dr. Arthur C. Parker was one of the first supporters of having an American Indian Day. He was a Seneca Indian and the director of the Museum of Arts and Science in Rochester, New York. He was also the one to convince the Boy Scouts of America to create a day for the Native Americans — the Boy Scouts adopted this day for three days.
In 1915, a plan concerning American Indian Day was formally approved in the annual Congress of the American Indian Association meeting. The president of the American Indian Association, Rev. Sherman Coolidge, called upon the country to observe this day.
"American Indian Week" was declared by President Ronald Reagan in 1986, and it ran from November 23 to November 30. On the other hand, President George H.W. Bush and Congress enacted a measure designating November as "National American Indian Heritage Month" in response to the request of American Indian leaders. This is a motivating month that makes education possible and helps all Americans have a deeper understanding of their country's past.
8 Ways to Celebrate Native American Heritage Month
Discover the Tribal land you’re living on right now and learn more.
Explore what it’s like to be a Native young person today.
Read children’s books about Native Americans this month and year-round.
Take a virtual field trip to learn more about Native American tribes and cultures.
Offer activities that honor Native American oral history, honoring elders and connecting with nature.
Oral history
Honoring elders
Connecting with nature
Florence Indian Mound Museum
Nearly 1700 years ago, Native Americans constructed the Florence Mound by the Tennessee River. The mound, which has weathered millennia of floods, storms, and human ruin, is used as a meeting place for ceremonies. As a reminder of the Native Americans who inhabited the Shoals for about ten millennia, it still exists today. Situated at the foot of the mound, the museum functions as an educational hub, facilitating cross-cultural exchanges and uniting individuals around a common humanity. It collaborates with Native American tribes and craftspeople and conducts talks, seminars, kids' classes, and a native plant garden.
Famous and influential Native Americans throughout history
Cheri Madsen: Madsen was the only Native American wheelchair racer coming up through the ranks. Cheri Madsen poses on the podium at the medal ceremony for the women's 100-meter T54 at the Paralympic Games Tokyo 2020 on Sept. 1, 2021, in Tokyo. Madsen tries to keep her heritage alive by sharing the stories with her daughters. Deb Haaland: Secretary Deb Haaland made history by becoming the first Native American to serve as a U.S. cabinet secretary. Her life story is a legacy of firsts.
Gil Birmingham: Gil Birmingham is an American actor from San Antonio, Texas, who identifies as being of Comanche descent. Since 2001, Birmingham has been featured in hit TV shows and movies such as "Yellowstone," "The Twilight Saga," and "Under The Banner Of Heaven."
Jhon Herrigton: He became the first Native American in space. An enrolled member of the Chickasaw Nation, Herrington carried its flag on his 13-day trip to space, as well as several personal items with him.
Louie Gong: He is a Canadian American visual artist, activist, public speaker, educator, and entrepreneur. His work focuses on Indigenous and multiracial identity, exploring race and identity through art, and expanding business leadership and capacity for Native artists.
Joy Harjo: In telling her own story, both the beautiful and the broken parts, Harjo has become a leader. Today she is seen as an icon of the feminist movement and a voice for Native peoples.
Quannah ChasingHorse: The Indigenous model and activist uses fashion as a means of storytelling about her culture and spotlighting the climate crisis in a way that is connected to her roots, beliefs, and deep connection to Mother Earth. Quannah ChasingHorse is a model and Indigenous activist.
Sean Sherman: She is a member of the Oglala Lakota tribe, has enjoyed a 30 year career as a successful chef, indigenous foods advocate, and cookbook author. He kickstarted his career at age 13 as a dishwasher in a restaurant kitchen.
Sharice Davids: She is the first openly LGBT Native American elected to the U.S. Congress, the first openly lesbian person elected to the U.S. Congress from Kansas, and one of the first two Native American women elected to Congress, along with Deb Haaland of New Mexico.
Wes Studi: Wesley Studi is a Native American (Cherokee Nation) actor and film producer. He has garnered critical acclaim and awards throughout his career, particularly for his portrayal of Native Americans in film. Became the first Native American actor to receive an Academy Award.
Kairyn Potts: Kairyn co-founded the Indigenous gaming organization Neechi Clan and is an avid gamer and streamer on Twitch and TikTok. He uses his platforms to share his culture, makeup, and fashion, his passions like gaming and acting and laughs with other people.
Lady Shug: Lady Shug, also known as Ky Victor and one of our Champions of Pride, is a 30-something nonbinary queer who uses the pronouns she, her, they, and them. A "proud three-quarters indigenous person of the Dine -- Navajo -- tribe," Victor says they were born into the Kinlichii'nii (Red House) and Bit'ahnii (Folded Arms) clans and grew up in the four corners area of New Mexico.
Scott Wabano: a two-spirit Indigenous fashion designer who grew up on a small northern Ontario reserve, took over one of the most important fashion runways in the world, making a debut at New York Fashion Week
