Native American Heritage Month: Fact Sheet
Updated October 30, 2023
Congressional Research Service
https://crsreports.congress.gov
R44258
Native American Heritage Month: Fact Sheet
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.
Selected 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 Don Bacon, “Recognizing National Native American Heritage
Month,” remarks in the House, Congressional Record (November 2, 2021)
• Representative Carolyn B. Maloney, “Statement on Native American Heritage
Month,” press release on Representative Maloney’s website (November 2, 2020)
• Representative Markwayne Mullin, “Celebrating Our Heritage,” column on
Representative Mullin’s website (November 20, 2019)
• Representative Deb Haaland, “Native American Heritage Month,” remarks in the
House, Congressional Record (September 19, 2019)
• 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)
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:
• Presidential Proclamation—Joseph R. Biden, Jr. (2021-)
• Presidential Proclamations—Donald J. Trump (2017-2021)
• Presidential Proclamations—Barack H. Obama (2009–2017)
• Presidential Proclamations—George W. Bush (2001–2009)
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Native American Heritage Month: Fact Sheet
Earlier presidential proclamations are available through the Government Publishing Office
website at govinfo.gov.
Statistics
Federal statistics on the American Indian population are available at
• Facts for Features: American Indian and Alaska Native Heritage Month:
November 2023, Census Bureau
Statistics on population, reservations, tribes, families, housing, languages,
education, veterans, income, and health insurance
• American Indian and Alaska Native Data Links, Census Bureau
Includes population snapshot and detailed reports
• Health of American Indian or Alaska Native Population, Centers 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:
• Native American Heritage Month, a collaborative site of multiple federal
agencies
• National Native American Heritage Month, Bureau of Indian Affairs
• Native American Heritage Month, National Park Service
• National Register of Historic Places: National American Indian Heritage Month,
National Park Service
• National Museum of the American Indian, Smithsonian Institution
Selected Federal Agencies and Programs
• Federally Recognized Indian Tribes and Resources for Native Americans,
USA.gov
Includes sections on cultural, housing, and legal resources
• Bureau of Indian Affairs, Department of the Interior
• Administration for Native Americans, an Office of the Administration for
Children and Families, Department of Health and Human Services
• Indian Health Service, Department of Health and Human Services
• Office of Indian Education, U.S. Department of Education
Educational, Cultural, and Advocacy Organizations
Numerous nongovernmental organizations provide information on and promote advocacy for
Native Americans. Some of these include the following:
• Association on American Indian Affairs
• First Nations Development Institute
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Native American Heritage Month: Fact Sheet
• National Congress of American Indians
• National Urban Indian Family Coalition
Author Information
Audrey Celeste Crane-Hirsch
Reference Librarian
Disclaimer
This document was prepared by the Congressional Research Service (CRS). CRS serves as nonpartisan
shared staff to congressional committees and Members of Congress. It operates solely at the behest of and
under the direction of Congress. Information in a CRS Report should not be relied upon for purposes other
than public understanding of information that has been provided by CRS to Members of Congress in
connection with CRS’s institutional role. CRS Reports, as a work of the United States Government, are not
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