The month of November is celebrated as National American Indian and Alaska Native Heritage Month. Efforts to gain a day of recognition for the significant contributions that Native Americans made to the establishment and growth of the United States first began at the turn of the century.

SIRS Researcher has many articles in its database detailing various issues concerning American Indian and Alaska Native people, including tribal culture, history, and relations with the American government. Articles include:

• Who Were the First Americans?
• More Women Buck Tradition, Take Reins of Indian Tribes
• National Indian Museum Opens at Last
• Indian Languages Struggle to Survive

SIRS Discoverer®

The first people to populate the Americas arrived more than 13,000 years ago, crossing a land bridge that existed between Asia and Alaska. From there, they settled in North, Central, and South America. As time passed, they developed their own unique and distinct cultures.

Today there are approximately 560 Indian tribes and Alaska Native groups that speak more than 250 languages in the United States alone. More than 25 U.S. states and numerous cities, lakes, and rivers have names originating from American Indian languages. While National American Indian Heritage Month has been commemorated annually since 1990, the first state celebration of American Indian Day occurred in 1916. In 2004, in honor and celebration of the indigenous peoples of the Americas, the Smithsonian Institution opened the National Museum of the American Indian in Washington, D.C.

Learn more about Native American history, culture, and traditions in such SIRS Discoverer articles as:

• The First Americans?
• Museum Honors American Indian Culture, History and Art
• Fun and Games
• The Powwow
• Explore the U.S.A. with Maps!: Population Map

SIRS® Government Reporter

National American Indian Heritage Month originated in 1916 with the celebration of the second Saturday in May as American Indian Day. In 1990, President George H.W. Bush signed a resolution designating November 1990 as “National American Indian Heritage Month.”

November has continued as the month to honor American Indians, who have played a vital role in the history of the nation and remain an important presence in our society. Despite a history of denigration by European settlers, Native American culture continues to thrive and display a respect for land and wildlife, an expression of the supernatural through painting and sculpture, and the value of a tight-knit community. Discover the story of the first Americans. Explore the traditions of tribes, including the Powhatan, Cherokee, and Odawa. Also learn how American Indians maintain their culture in the modern era.

Experience the rich tapestry of American Indians in articles such as:

• The First Americans
• American Indian and Alaska Native Heritage Month: November 2003
• A Tapestry of Stories at Tent Rocks
• Native Baja Californians: Deep Roots, High Hopes

SIRS® Renaissance

When Columbus “discovered” America, little did he know that he had encountered a vast continent that was home to hundreds of indigenous nations with their own distinct cultures. As more Europeans arrived, these native peoples, who lived in harmony with the land, were systematically herded to designated areas to live in confinement and abject poverty. Native communities were destroyed and others were forcefully assimilated.

Centuries later, Native Americans work to reestablish and maintain their heritage through educational programs and advancement. In 1990, in an effort to honor and recognize Native Americans, the U.S. government designated the first National American Indian Heritage Month. The National Museum of the American Indian, which houses a vast collection of artifacts, was established as part of the Smithsonian Institution in Washington, D.C. in 2004.

The rich history and myriad achievements of Native Americans are highlighted in such SIRS Renaissance articles as:

• The Great Chiefs: Black Hawk
• Comanche Nation Keeps Its Traditional Life Alive
• Proud Stand of a Forgotten People
• Tradition!
• In the Spirit

For our November Spotlight, SKS WebSelect celebrates the rich diversity of American Indian and Alaska Native peoples, such as the Lakota, the Navajo, the Caddo, the Hopi, the Aleut, and the Tohono O’odham. Learn about the conflicted history between the native tribes and the European settlers. Discover the intricate beauty of Indian beadwork and pottery, listen to traditional Omaha Indian music, and view how Indians were portrayed in early photographs. Here are just a few of our featured sites that honor and recognize America’s first peoples:

• Edward Curtis' Indian Photographs: Facts and Fictions
• Omaha Indian Music
• Texas Beyond History--Tejas: the Life and Times of the Caddo Indians

SIRS® Discoverer WebFind

Learn about the long history and complex heritage of American Indians. The first English-speaking settlers of North America were both assisted and opposed by the various native societies they encountered. These natives had inhabited the continent for thousands of years, developing rich oral history, art, and traditions that still exist in the United States. The history of Native Americans is an important part of the history of the United States. Join Discoverer WebFind in exploring Native American cultures and people in celebration of National American Indian Heritage Month. Featured sites include:

• First American Art
• Native American Cultures
• Native American Voices

You Are the Historian: Investigating the First Thanksgiving
Learn about being a historian by investigating the cultures of the Wampanoag Indians and the pilgrim colonists at the first Thanksgiving feast. Macromedia Flash is required. Source: Plimoth Plantation Museum

Thanksgiving in American Memory
Learn about Thanksgiving through the original Thanksgiving proclamation, views of Thanksgiving from many perspectives and a graphical Thanksgiving timeline.(LOC) Learn more about Columbus Day on this page. Source: Library of Congress (LOC)

The Origins of Veterans Day
“In 1921, an unknown World War I American soldier was buried in Arlington National Cemetery. This site, on a hillside overlooking the Potomac River and the city of Washington, D.C., became the focal point of reverence for America’s veterans.” (VA) Read about the history of the national commemoration to honor veterans in the United States. Source: Department of Veterans Affairs (VA)

Spotlight of the Month topics are selected mainly from Chase's Calendar of Events. Articles are also accessible within the main database and remain in the SIRS Spotlight of the Month newsletter archives for one year.

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