November Is Native American Heritage Month—Here Are 5 Things to Know

Thanksgiving Day and Veterans Day It’s not the only major holidays that happen in November. This month is also Native American Heritage Month, a time to remember that American history began long before settlers arrived on the continent, and to celebrate the many cultures and contributions of the country’s indigenous peoples. Here are some cool facts about how to celebrate this anniversary.

1. Boy Scouts were among the first to celebrate First Americans Day.
2. Red Fox James rode 4,000 miles on horseback to rally support for the cause.
3. The push for a national holiday was tied to civil rights.
4. Gerald Ford was the first president to designate “Native American Awareness Week.”
5. George H. W. Bush was the president who extended the Native American celebration for a full month.

Boy Scouts were among the first to celebrate First Americans Day.

Arthur Caswell Parker, a member of the Seneca Nation and nephew of Ulysses S. Grant’s secretary during the Civil War, was one of the most prominent advocates for Native American rights throughout the early twentieth century. (He too served as an ethnologist at the New York State Library, archaeologist at the New York State Museum, and director of the Rochester Museum of Arts and Sciences in New York.) In addition to establishment Association of American Indians and the National Congress of American Indians, Parker lobbied Boy Scouts of America To get to know the indigenous people of the country with an annual holiday. His efforts proved successful. From 1912 to 1915, the Boy Scouts celebrated First Americans Day.

Red Fox James rode 4,000 miles on horseback to rally support for the cause.

In March 1914, Red Fox James-He is believed to be a member of the Blackfeet Nation, although he sometimes is linked To the Crow Nation – She set off on a cross-country journey on horseback from Montana to Washington, D.C., to ask the president Woodrow Wilson October 12 was made a national holiday for Native Americans. Along the way, he collected signatures from governors, senators and other officials endorsing the proposal. Although James did meet With Wilson’s arrival in mid-December, there is no evidence that Wilson ever made an announcement.

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The push for a national holiday was tied to civil rights.

James headed to the White House again in 1915, this time to petition the president to grant citizenship to Native Americans. In the same year, the American Indian Association Conference decided to hold its annual “American Indian Day” on the second Saturday in May. The organization’s president, an Arapaho tribe member named Sherman Coolidge, issued a formal proclamation in September 1915 — but it wasn’t just a day of appreciation. In his announcement, Coolidge also called for Native American citizenship. In June 1924, Congress finally Pass Indian Citizenship Act, which granted citizenship to all Native Americans born in the U.S. Since voting rights were in the hands of state governments, however, many Native American citizens were not allowed to vote until the 1950s.

Gerald Ford was the first president to designate “Native American Awareness Week.”

After the efforts of Parker, James, Coolidge, and others, some states began honoring Native Americans with an annual day. New York was the first to do so, celebrating American Indian Day on the second Saturday of May 1916. Other states chose the fourth Friday of September. But the holiday was not recognized by the White House until 1976, when Congress asked the president to do so Gerald Ford To honor the contributions of indigenous peoples at Native American Awareness Week October 10-16.

“In renewing the spirit and resolute dedication of the past 200 years, we must also join Native Americans in rebuilding awareness, understanding, and appreciation for their historic role and future participation in our diverse American society.” books In an advertisement.

George H. W. Bush was the president who extended the Native American celebration for a full month.

Ronald Reagan He maintained this tradition during the years he spent in office. beginning with American Indian Day on May 13, 1983, and eventually National American Indian Heritage Week in late November 1988. In 1990, Congress passed a resolution asking President George H.W. Bush to designate the entire month of November as National American Indian Heritage Month, which it did. Since then, it has become common for a sitting president to do so problem A similar decree every fall, although now usually a month Referred to To National Native American Heritage Month or National American Indian and Alaska Native Heritage Month.

A version of this story was originally published in 2020; Updated for 2025.