National American Indian Heritage

In 1990 President George H.W. Bush declared November as National American Indian Heritage Month, which was later called Native American Heritage Month. The proclamation read in part that “the President has authorized and requested to call upon Federal, State and local Governments, groups and organizations and the people of the United States to observe such month with appropriate programs, ceremonies and activities."

That official recognition from the U.S. government was a long time coming.

The earliest attempts to acknowledge the contributions of Native Americans date to 1912, when Dr. Arthur Caswell, of the Seneca Nation and founder of several Indian rights organizations, convinced the Boy Scouts of America to recognize a “First Americans” Day, which the organization did for three years.

In the spring of 1914, Red Fox James, of the Blackfeet Tribe, rode his horse across the United States and managed to gather endorsements from 24 states resolving to name a day to honor American Indians. On Dec. 14, 1915, James, also known as Red Fox Skiukusha, presented the resolutions to the White House, but the Library of Congress has no record that a day of recognition was proclaimed at the time.

Also in 1915, the Congress of the American Indian Association met in Lawrence, Kansas, where Rev. Sherman Coolidge, of the Arapahoe Tribe, set forth a proclamation to designate the second Saturday of May as a day to recognize Native Americans. Coolidge’s proclamation was also the first appeal to recognize Native Americans as U.S. citizens. In 1916, New York recognized the second Saturday in May as American Indian Day. It was the first state to do so.

Congress enacted the Indian Citizenship Act in 1924, which extended citizenship to all U.S.-born American Indians who were not already recognized as citizens by treaties or other federal agreements that granted them citizenship.

Congress called upon President Ronald Reagan to designate Nov. 22 through 28, 1987, as “American Indian Week” which led Bush to sign a joint resolution in 1990 setting November aside as “National American Indian Heritage Month.” A later amendment included Alaska Natives, and November came to be commonly known as American Indian and Alaska Native Heritage Month.

Recognizing the month serves to celebrate remarkable Native Americans and the contributions Native Americans have made to the country that improve the character of the nation. November serves as a platform for Native Americans to share their diverse and rich cultures, histories, and traditions. Recognizing November also helps spread the word about the tribes and nations in the U.S., their sacrifices, past challenges and challenges of today.

National American Indian Alaska Native Heritage Month is often celebrated with festivals, community gatherings and educational activities for people to learn about the contributions in art, education, government, literature, sports, science and technology American Indians and Alaska Natives have made to the country. 

For more information, visit www.indianaffairs.gov.