Native American Heritage Month
This year, Native American Heritage Month focuses on the theme "Confronting Challenges and Foraging New Pathways" to honor and celebrate Indigenous history, culture, literature, and traditions.
Four Seasons by Wendy Red Star
From November 1st to November 30th, the United States celebrates the history, culture, and contributions of Native Americans that continue to enrich the quality and character of the nation. Social Justice Peer Educator Zion Vaoifi and the Foley Library are proud to collaborate on this Libguide to provide resources for learning about Indigenous stories. Here are some specific ways you can celebrate Native American Heritage Month and support the Indigenous community:
This year, the Foley Library and Social Justice Peer Educator (SJPE) Zion Vaoifi collaborate on the Native American Heritage Month display and LibGuide.
Words From Social Justice Peer Educator Zion Vaoifi:
"I chose this month for the commonality of being a part of a native community. I myself am kanaka maoli (native Hawaiian), born and raised on the island of O’ahu. Coming from Hawai’i, the narrative around sovereign lands and colonization is rooted in my Hawaiian culture rather than the dominant narrative in what is now known as the continental U.S., which is rooted in Native American culture. I feel that as a native person coming from my native lands, it is my duty and responsibility to educate myself on the native being’s land that I reside in now, that Gonzaga resides in now. I find native culture so beautiful and feel that our causes and issues as native people won’t be heard unless we take the time to learn about each other’s cultures and learn from each other. I never give up the opportunity to learn more about indigenous cultures.
My role as a social justice peer educator entails programming and presenting educational material centered around social justice work. However, we are only human and do not have all the answers or knowledge necessary for every topic. A significant part of my job is researching and educating myself on important matters; by taking on this project, that is exactly what I am doing while ensuring this display is given the respect and time it deserves."
Click here to learn more about the Unity Multicultural Education Center and Social Justice Peer Educators!
The quest for a national honoring of Native Americans began in the early twentieth century as a private effort. Today, National Native American Heritage Month is celebrated through November to honor the contributions, achievements, sacrifices, and cultural and historical legacies of the original inhabitants of the United States.
Dr. Arthur Caswell Parker (1881- 1955)
1900: Dr. Arthur Caswell Parker was one of the earliest proponents of a day honoring indigenous Americans. Parker was a Cattaraugus Seneca and the director of the Rocester Museum in New York. Dr. Parker was an anthropologist, historian, and author whose great-uncle was Brigadier General Ely S. Parker, secretary to General Ulysses S. Grant during the Civil War and the first American Indian to serve as commissioner of Indian Affairs in the Department of the Interior.
1911: Dr. Arthur Caswell Parker founded the American Indian rights organization Society of American Indians.
1912: Dr. Arthur Caswell Parker successfully persuaded the Boy Scouts of America to set aside a day for the "First Americans."
1914: Indian rights advocate Reverend Red Fox James, also known as Red Fox Skiukusha, whose tribal identity is unknown, began a 4,000-mile trek on horseback to Washington, D.C., to petition the President for an "Indian Day."
1915: Reverend Red Fox James traveled from state to state on horseback, seeking gubernatorial support for U.S. citizenship to be extended to American Indians
1915: The Congress of the American Indian Association met in Lawrence, Kansas, directed by its President, the Reverend Sherman Coolidge. Coolidge was an Arapaho minister and one of the founders of the SAI, and his goal was to call upon the Nation to observe a day for American Indians.
September 18, 1915: Reverend Sherman Coolidge issued a proclamation declaring the second Saturday of each May as "American Indian Day" and appealing for U.S. citizenship for American Indians.
1916: The first time an American Indian Day was formally designated in the U.S. may have been in 1916 when the governor of New York fixed the second Saturday in May for his state's observance.
1924: Congress enacted the Indian Citizenship Act, extending citizenship to all U.S.-born American Indians not already covered by treaties or other federal agreements that granted such access. The act was later amended to include Alaska natives.
1968: California Governor Ronald Regan signed a resolution designating the fourth Friday in September as American Indian Day.
1976: The United States Congress passed a resolution authorizing President Ford to proclaim a week as "Native American Awareness Week."
1988: The California State Assembly enacted legislation creating Native American Day as an official holiday.
1989: The South Dakota State legislature passed a bill proclaiming 1990 as the "Year of Reconciliation" between American Indian and White citizens. According to that act, South Dakota Governor George S. Mickelson designated Columbus Day as the state's American Indian Day, making it a state-sanctioned holiday.
1992: Congress designated 1992 as the "Year of the American Indian."
The U.S. Department of the Interior Affairs - The History of National Native American Heritage Month
New York City Public Schools - Overview of Native American Heritage Month
Smithsonian Center for Folklife & Cultural Heritage - American Indian Powwows
Official Native American Heritage Month Website - Exhibitions and additional information about Native American Heritage Month from the Library of Congress.
United States Census Bureau - Census data on Indigenous Americans