Explore Native American Heritage Month with Library resources
November is Native American Heritage Month, an observance to acknowledge the histories, cultures and contributions of Native American and Alaska Native peoples, as well as Native Hawaiian and Island communities. Johnson County Library offers resources to explore Indigenous histories, hear Native voices and learn about Native contributions today.
A brief history
Efforts to establish a day honoring Native Americans date to the early 1900s. Dr. Arthur Caswell Parker, a Cattaraugus Seneca anthropologist and museum director, helped found the Society of American Indians in 1911 and encouraged the Boy Scouts of America to observe “First Americans Day” from 1912 to 1915.
In 1914, Red Fox James, also known as Red Fox Skiuhushu, rode 4,000 miles to Washington, D.C., to gather support for a national “Indian Day.”
In 1919, the Congress of the American Indian Association met in Lawrence, Kansas. The Rev. Sherman Coolidge, an Episcopal priest and member of the Arapaho Tribe, issued a proclamation calling for “American Indian Day” and U.S. citizenship for Native peoples.
Congress passed the Indian Citizenship Act in 1924, granting citizenship to Native Americans born in the United States.
November was designated National American Indian Heritage Month in 1990.
Explore and learn
Johnson County Library offers resources to help you learn throughout the year.
Digital resources
- Libby: Read or listen to eBooks and eAudiobooks featuring Native voices and stories.
- Kanopy: Stream documentaries and films about Native American history, art and modern life. Explore curated titles in Kanopy's curated collection.
Databases
- Genealogy Resources: Trace Indigenous ancestry with research tools.
- History Reference Source: Explore articles, primary sources and videos.
- Gale Primary Sources: Indigenous Peoples of North America: Explore historical materials about Indigenous peoples in the United States and Canada.
For readers of all ages
- Lightbox: Search “Native American” to find interactive eBooks with audio and engaging visuals.
- Booklists: Explore Native American Heritage Picture Books, More Indigenous Writers to Read Now (All Ages), Native American Fiction - New Voices and Celebrating Native American heritage.
Additional Resources
- American Library Association: Workshops, Smithsonian activities and youth literature.
- U.S. Department of the Interior – Indian Affairs: Heritage Month history and proclamations.
- National Archives: Digitized Indian treaties and Native records.
Keep learning throughout the year. Find more at jocolibrary.org.
