Introduction
Native American Heritage Month (also known as National American Indian Heritage Month) celebrates the contributions and achievements of Native Americans.
November was first designated as National American Indian Heritage Month on August 3, 1990, by P.L. 101-343, To authorize and request the President to proclaim the month of November 1990, and thereafter as "Native American Indian Heritage Month." Since then, Presidents have issued annual proclamations promoting this observance.
On June 26, 2009, P.L. 111-33, Native American Heritage Day Act of 2009, designated the Friday after Thanksgiving as Native American Heritage Day.
This guide assists congressional offices with work related to Native American Heritage Month celebrations. It provides links to sample congressional speeches and recognitions, presidential proclamations, statistical data, cultural resources, and selected federal agencies and programs that focus on Native American issues. This guide also includes links to selected educational and advocacy organizations.
CRS Report
CRS Report R41990, Federal Holidays: Evolution and Current Practices, by [author name scrubbed]
Sample Congressional Speeches and Recognitions
Members of Congress often make floor statements, issue press releases, and enter Extensions of Remarks into the Congressional Record to recognize federal holidays. The following are some recent examples that may be of assistance in preparing such statements:
- Representative Tom O'Halleran, "National Native American Heritage Month," remarks in the House, Congressional Record (November 30, 2017)
- Representative Betty McCollum, "National Native American Heritage Month," Extension of Remarks, Congressional Record (November 19, 2015)
- Senator John Thune "Celebrating Native American Heritage Month," Op-Ed on Senator Thune's website (November 14, 2014)
- Representative Tammy Duckworth, "Honoring Native Heritage Month and Sacrifices Made by Native American Veterans," Extension of Remarks, Congressional Record (November 12, 2014)
- Representative Tom Cole, "Celebrating Native American Heritage," column on Representative Cole's website (November 3, 2014)
- Senator Tim Johnson, "Native American Heritage Month," remarks in the Senate, Congressional Record (November 21, 2013)
- Senator Patrick Leahy, "Native American Heritage Month," remarks in the Senate, Congressional Record (November 13, 2013)
Presidential Proclamations
One of the uses of a presidential proclamation is to honor a group or call attention to certain issues or events. Proclamations commemorating Native American Heritage Month include the following:
- Proclamation 9669—President Donald J. Trump, October 31, 2017
- Proclamation 9537—President Barack Obama, October 31, 2016
- Proclamation 9362—President Barack Obama, October 30, 2015
- Proclamation 9207—President Barack Obama, October 31, 2014
- Proclamation 9054—President Barack Obama, October 31, 2013
- Proclamation 8901—President Barack Obama, November 1, 2012
- Proclamation 8749—President Barack Obama, November 1, 2011
- Proclamation 8595—President Barack Obama, October 29, 2010
- Proclamation 8449—President Barack Obama, October 30, 2009
Earlier presidential proclamations are available through the Federal Digital System (FDsys) on the Government Publishing Office (GPO) website.
Statistics
Federal statistics on the American Indian population are available at
- Facts for Features: American Indian and Alaska Native Heritage Month: November 2018, Census Bureau
Statistics on population, reservations, tribes, families, housing, languages, education, veterans, income, and health insurance
- 2010 Census Brief, American Indian and Alaska Native Population, Census Bureau
- American Indian and Alaska Native Data Links, Census Bureau
Includes population snap shot and detailed reports
- Health of American Indian or Alaska Native Population, Center for Disease Control and Prevention
Native American Heritage Month Cultural Resources
Numerous government resources provide information on the history and culture of the holiday. Some of these include the following:
Selected Federal Agencies and Programs
Educational, Cultural, and Advocacy Organizations
Numerous nongovernmental organizations provide information on and promote advocacy for Native Americans. Some of these include the following: