Native American Heritage Month Resources

Since 1990, Americans have observed Native American Heritage Month throughout November by celebrating the histories, cultures, and contributions of Native Americans.

Below are some exhibits and multimedia resources that recognize and highlight the contributions of Native Americans to the rich fabric of this nation.

Charleston, South Carolina

• The Sumter Tribe of Cheraw (link is external) is celebrating the 10th annual cultural celebration with dancers, drummers, and flute demonstrations on November 12, 2023, at the Sumter County Museum. In addition, a children’s craft table, vendors, and Native American artifacts will be on display.
   
• The Dorchester Heritage Center at The Ponds Farmhouse is hosting a discussion of the tribal history of the Edisto Natchez-Kusso (link is external) with Chief John Creel on November 9, 2023. Tribal council members will also perform an expo to highlight the culture of the Edisto Natchez-Kusso followed by a light reception. Registration required but general admission is free.

Phoenix, Arizona

• The Heard Museum (link is external) exhibition In the Service Of: American Indian Veteran Artists and Tributes explores the art and tribute art created by and for American Indian veterans. Tickets and fee required.
   
• S'edav Va'aki Museum (formerly the Pueblo Grande Museum) is a 1,500-year-old archaeological site and museum. Listed as a National Historic Landmark, the museum features artifacts from the site and provides hands-on activities to educate visitors on the cultural history of the Phoenix area. Tickets and fee required.

San Antonio, Texas

• The American Indians in Texas at the Spanish Colonial Missions (link is external) is a nonprofit organization established in 1994 by the Tap Pilam Coahuiltecan Nation, descendants of the aboriginal people who populated South Texas and Northeast Mexico. The organization works for the preservation of protection of the culture and traditions of the Native American tribes and other indigenous people who resided in the Spanish colonial missions.

Washington, D.C.

• Visit the museums, monuments, and parks dedicated to Native American history and heritage. Experience landscapes paddling the rivers and explore archeological sites that sustained Native American communities. Tickets and fee required for some locations.

Resources

• The Native American Heritage Month website is a collaborative project dedicated to paying tribute to the rich ancestry and traditions of Native Americans.
• The Smithsonian's National Museum of the American Indian (NMAI) (link is external) operates three facilities: the museum on the National Mall (link is external) in Washington, D.C., the George Gustav Heye Center (link is external) in New York City, and the Cultural Resources Center (link is external) in Suitland, Maryland. The NMAI's off-site outreach efforts, often referred to as the "fourth museum," include websites, traveling exhibitions (link is external), and community programs.
  • Smithsonian exhibit: Why We Serve: Native Americans in the United States Armed Forces (link is external)
  • Smithsonian exhibit: Return to a Native Place: Algonquian Peoples of the Chesapeake (link is external)
     
• Society of American Indian Government Employees (SAIGE) (link is external): Formed in 2002, SAIGE is the first national non-profit organization representing American Indian and Alaska Native Federal, Tribal, State, and local government employees.
   
• Book, “Crazy Brave”: This memoir by Joy Harjo recounts how her early years, a difficult childhood with an alcoholic father and abusive stepfather, and the hardships of teen motherhood, caused her to suppress her artistic gifts and nearly brought her to her breaking point.
   
• Book, “Re-creating the Circle: The Renewal of American Indian Self-Determination”: A collaboration between Native activists, professionals, and scholars, Re-Creating the Circle brings a new perspective to the American Indian struggle for self-determination: the returning of Indigenous peoples to sovereignty, self-sufficiency, and harmony so that they may again live well in their own communities, while partnering with their neighbors, the nation, and the world for mutual advancement.