American Indian/Alaska Native Heritage Month

A Historical Perspective

The American Indian/Alaska Native Heritage month is a special time of year focusing on educating the public regarding the contributions, intertribal cultures, heritage, and traditions of the American Indian/Alaska Native.

Our current, month-long observance traces its roots to the turn of the 20th century when people began making proposals for a single day on which to honor Native Americans. The following chronology highlights some of the significant events contributing to our present-day “National American Indian Heritage Month.”

• In 1914, Red Fox James, a member of the Blackfoot Tribe, rode horseback from state to state in the hope of gaining support for a day of tribute. He presented the endorsements of 24 state governments to the White House; however, no record exists of a national day being proclaimed.
• During the following year (1915), Dr. Arthur C. Parker, a member of the Seneca Tribe and one of the first proponents of an American Indian Day, persuaded the Boy Scouts of America to designate a day of recognition for Native Americans. For the next three years the Scouts adopted such a day.
• In 1916, by gubernatorial proclamation, New York became the first state to observe American Indian Day. Over the ensuing years, other states followed suit in designating a day to honor Native Americans via proclamation and/or legislative enactment.
• In 1976, Senate Joint Resolution 209 authorized the President to proclaim the week of October 10-16, 1976, as “Native American Awareness Week.”
• In 1987, the week of November 22-28 was proclaimed as “American Indian Week” by President Reagan, pursuant to Senate Joint Resolution 53.
  
  • Prior to that, President Reagan had twice earlier designated an American Indian Day or Week.
  • In 1986, he signed Senate Joint Resolution 390, which designated November 23-30 as “American Indian Week”; and during his first term he named May 13, 1983, as “American Indian Day.”
    
• On September 23, 1988, President Reagan signed a Senate Joint Resolution designating September 23-30, as “National American Indian Heritage Week.”
• On December 5, 1989, President George Bush issued a proclamation based on Senate Joint Resolution 218, designating the week of December 3-9, 1989, as “National American Indian Heritage Week.”
• On August 3, 1990, a Senate Joint Resolution designating the month of November 1990 as “National American Indian Heritage Month” was approved by President George Bush and become Public Law 101-343 (104 Stat. 391).
• On March 2, 1992, President George Bush issued a proclamation designating 1992 as the “Year of the American Indian” based on legislation by Congress (Public Law 102-188).
• On November 5, 1994, President Clinton issued a proclamation based on Senate Joint Resolution 271 designating the month of November 1994 as “National American Indian Heritage Month.”
• Beginning in 1995, and currently, the President issues a proclamation each year designating the month of November as “National American Indian Heritage Month.”

Photographs from the 3rd Annual American Indian/Alaska Native Heritage Month Program held in November 2003 are now available for viewing.

Online Resources:

Indian Health Service and Partners-In-Celebration Year 2003 Web site for National American Indian/Alaska Native Heritage Month
http://www.ihs.gov/PublicAffairs/Heritage/index.cfm

The Creation of National American Indian/Alaska Native Heritage Month: A Brief History, Health and Human Services/Indian Health Services Web site
http://www.ihs.gov/PublicAffairs/Heritage/Heritage_2002/Heritage_History.pdf

2002 Whitehouse Proclamation –
http://www.whitehouse.gov/news/releases/2002/11/20021101-7.html

National Archives & Records Administration (NARA)-
http://www.archives.gov/about_us/equal_employment_opportunity/
special_observances/observances_list.html#nov