November is Native American Heritage Month, or as it is commonly referred to, American Indian and Alaska Native Heritage Month. The month is a time to celebrate rich and diverse cultures, traditions, and histories and to acknowledge the important contributions of Native people. This month provides the opportunity to raise a general awareness about the unique challenges Native people have faced both historically and in the present, and the ways in which tribal citizens have worked to conquer these challenges.
This year the theme is Recognizing 100 years of Citizenship and the Fight for the Right to Vote 1924-2024.
A Little History...
Native American Heritage Month has evolved from its beginnings as a week-long celebration in 1986, when President Reagan proclaimed the week of November 23-30, 1986 as "American Indian Week." In 1990 President George H. W. Bush approved a joint resolution designating November 1990 “National American Indian Heritage Month.” Every President since 1995 has issued annual proclamations designating the month of November as the time to celebrate the culture, accomplishments, and contributions of people who were the first inhabitants of the United States.
The goal of our recognition month is to expand our knowledge of the history of American Indians and to also highlight accurate depictions of their lives today.
A Few Fun Facts: Did you know that?
- As of 2022, 2.09% of the U.S. population identified as American Indian or Alaska Native, which is around 6.79 million Americans.
- There are about 574 federally recognized Native American tribes in the U.S.
- There are no federally recognized Indian tribes in Pennsylvania, although the most recent census reports an American Indian population of more than 12,000. The Lenape continue to have a modern presence and are working to preserve the heritage of the Algonquian-speaking tribes of eastern Pennsylvania and Delaware.
- The two largest Native American tribes are Cherokee Nation and Navajo Nation.
- Native Americans were not granted citizenship until 1924, when Congress enacted the Native American Citizenship Act. This is the same year Native people were given the right to vote but not in all 50 states. It was not until the Voter Rights Act of 1965 that the federal government addressed Native Americans' right to vote on a federal level.
- Rubber, corn, kayaks and mouthwash are inventions created by Native Americans. Interested in others? Check them out HERE.
- The U.S. Constitution draws inspiration from the Iroquois Confederacy's "Great Law of Peace."
