2024 USET Native American Heritage Month Messages
November 1, 2024: USET Kickoff's Native American Heritage Month (NAHM) with a reminder that we celebrate NAHM, not just in November, but all year long. Read more.
Learn more about USET, Native American history, and Native American Heritage Month.
"One can tell a great deal about a country by what it chooses to remember ... One can tell even more by what a nation chooses to forget." Lonnie G. Bunch III, Secretary of the Smithsonian Institution
USET Member Tribal Nations
- Eastern Band of Cherokee Indians ANI’YUNWIYA*
- Miccosukee Tribe of Indians of Florida MIKASUI*
- Mississippi Band of Choctaw Indians CHATA*
- Seminole Tribe of Florida I:LAPONATHLI*
- Chitimacha Tribe of Louisiana SITIMAXA
- Seneca Nation of Indians ONONDOWA’GA’
- Coushatta Tribe of Louisiana KOASATI
- Saint Regis Mohawk Tribe AKWESASNE
- Penobscot Indian Nation PANAWAHPSKEK
- Passamaquoddy Tribe – Pleasant Point PESKOTOMUHKATI
- Passamaquoddy Tribe – Indian Township PESKOTOMUHKATI
- Houlton Band of Maliseet Indians METAKSONIKEWIYIK
- Tunica-Biloxi Tribe of Louisiana YORONIKU – HALAYIHKU
- Poarch Band of Creek Indians MVSKOKE
- Narragansett Indian Tribe NANAANONGSEUK
- Mashantucket Pequot Tribal Nation PEQUOT
- Wampanoag Tribe of Gay Head AQUINNAH
- Alabama-Coushatta Tribe of Texas ALIBAMU and KOASATI
- Oneida Indian Nation ONYOTA’A:KÀ:
- Mi'kmaq Nation MIKMAQ
- Catawba Indian Nation YE ISWAH H’REH
- Jena Band of Choctaw Indians CHAHTA (JENA)
- The Mohegan Tribe MAHEEHKANUWAK
- Cayuga Nation GAYOGOHO:NO’
- Mashpee Wampanoag Tribe MÂSEEPEE WÔPANÂAK
- Shinnecock Indian Nation
- Pamunkey Indian Tribe PAMUNKEY
- Rappahannock Tribe RAPPAHANNOCK
- Chickahominy Indian Tribe CHICKAHOMINY
- Chickahominy Indian Tribe – Eastern Division CHICKAHOMINY
- Upper Mattaponi Indian Tribe MATTAPONI
- Nansemond Indian Nation NANSEMOND
- Monacan Indian Nation MONACAN
- USET Headquarters
- USET SPF Office
*Denotes Founding Member
Resources
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Articles
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Events
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Initiatives and Calls to Action
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News
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Podcasts
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Arts and Music
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Publications
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Recommended Books
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Thanksgiving Day Myth and Facts
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Videos and Films
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574 Federally Recognized Tribal Nations
Articles
- How to tell kids the real story behind Thanksgiving - Today | November 17, 2023
- ‘We Exist': How to Learn About Native Americans Through Native Lenses - Edweek.org | November 8, 2023
- Native American Leaders: A Timeline - History.com | November 7, 2023
- Ways to celebrate Native American Heritage Month in the District - DC News Now | November 6, 2023
- Here's What Going On In Indian Country: Native American Heritage Month - Native News Online | October 27, 2023
- Broken Treaties With Native American Tribes: Timeline - History.com - The treaties were based on the fundamental idea that each tribe was an independent nation, with their own right to self-determination and self-rule. But as white settlers began moving onto Native American lands, this idea came into conflict with the relentless pace of westward expansion—resulting in many broken promises on the part of the U.S. government.
- Explore Native American culture with the following lessons, activities, and resources - National Education Association
- How the Iroquois Confederacy Was Formed: In the story of the Great Law of Peace, Hiawatha and the Peacemaker convince leaders of the Five Nations to literally bury the hatchet. - History.com, November 8, 2021
- Land Acknowledgment: How to Teach Our Kids About Native Americans - MacaroniKid - The first step in honoring and respecting other cultures is to understand the difference between cultural appreciation and cultural appropriation. It matters because crossing that fine line can perpetuate stereotypes and divide communities.
- The Library of Congress, National Archives and Records Administration, National Endowment for the Humanities, National Gallery of Art, National Park Service, Smithsonian Institution and United States Holocaust Memorial Museum join in paying tribute to the rich ancestry and traditions of Native Americans
- Myths and Realities of Tribal Sovereignty: The Law and Economics of Indian Self-Rule by Joseph P. Kalt and Joseph William Singer
- Native American Heritage Month - The DC Public Library proudly celebrates Native American Heritage Month this November by sharing events and resources to read, watch, listen to and learn from that honor and pay tribute to the rich ancestry and traditions of Native Americans
- The Rise of Tribes and the Fall of Federal Indian Law - Arizona State Law Journal
- Sen. Tom Udall on Native American Heritage Month: A Call to Better Respect Tribal Sovereignty - Native News Online
- Time To Fix The Racist Way We Depict Native Americans In The Capitol, Say Lawmakers - HuffPost
- The Wampanoag Side of the First Thanksgiving Story - Indian Country Today
- We Are Still Here - TEDFellowsBlog - In defiance of stereotypes and the history of injustice, these portraits create a new record of Native America
Events
- November 1 at 10:00 am - 12:00 pm Eastern (Hybrid) - Department of Transportation Native American Heritage Month Event will be held in-person at the USDOT Headquarters in DC. If you are not able to join in person, please click on the virtual event link that will be live streaming the event.
- November 1-2 at 10:00 am - 5:00 pm each day - American Indigenous Arts Celebration in Big Cypress will celebrate Seminole and Indigenous art, music, food dance and more!
- November 1- 17 - “Feathers to Fedoras: An Inside Look at Traditional to Contemporary Native Wear” art exhibit at the Falmouth Art Center will include photographs of different types of regalia from traditional to modern with text panels about the pieces and their cultural significance to the tribe. In addition, the exhibit includes a range of regalia items, including headwear and jewelry made by local members of the Wampanoag Tribe and others.
- November 1-30 - The Smithsonian’s National Museum celebrates Native American Heritage Month with numerous events honoring American Indian, Alaska Native and Native Hawaiian veterans. Visitors can celebrate the diversity and contributions of these Native cultures with a variety of free public events in Washington, D.C., New York City, and online. Programs include festivals, performances, talks and family activities.
- November 11 - DC | Honoring Native Veterans 10:00 am - 5:30 pm Eastern
- November 22-29- 2024 Native Cinema Showcase (online)
- November 25 at 1:00 pm - 2:30 pm Eastern - Native American Heritage Month Program in Partnership with Arlington National Cemetery and the National Museum of the American Indians is an online program that will showcase a panel of experts that will discuss the American Indian Citizenship Act of 1924 and Yankton Dakota writer, educator, and political activist Zitkala-Sa’s role in its passage. The program will also cover citizenship through military service and Native Americans buried at Arlington National Cemetery. Acting Chief Operating Officer Jay Trainer from the National Archives will provide opening remarks; participating on the panel will be Rose Buchanan from the National Archives, Rachelle Pablo from the National Museum of the American Indian, and Steve Carney from Arlington National Cemetery. Amber Forrester from the National Archives will serve as moderator.
- November 28-29 - The Poarch Band of Creek Indians’ 52st annual Thanksgiving Pow Wow will be held Nov. 22-29, 2024 on the Pow Wow Grounds in Poarch. The Pow Wow is held to celebrate the cultural heritage and rick tradition of the PBCI. The event is two days filled with dance and drumming competitions, unique crafts from local artisans, barbecue, fire-roasted corn, buffalo burgers, fried chicken and a traditional Thanksgiving dinner. General admission is $10. Two-day wrist band is $15. Read more.
Initiatives and Calls to Actions
- Change the Narrative
- A Guide to Indigenous Land Acknowledgement - Native Governance Center
- Why Give An Indigenous Land Acknowledgment (and How to Make It Matter) - American Indian College Fund
- Native Knowledge 360° Educational Initiative
- Reclaiming Native Truth – IllumiNative
- Remove the Stain- Request for President Biden to Rescind Wounded Knee Massacre Medal of Honor
News
- President Biden's Proclamation on National Native American Heritage Month 2023
- This tribe helped the Pilgrims survive for their first Thanksgiving. They still regret it 400 years later. - Washington Post 11/4/2021
- DOD Honors Native Americans and Their Many Contributions to the Nation
- President Biden's Proclamation on National Native American Heritage Month 2022
- President Biden's Proclamation on National Native American Heritage Month 2021
Podcasts
- All My Relations - Each episode delves into a different topic facing Native people today.
- This American Life has done a number of stories centered on Native American issues: Little War on the Prairie, Trail of Tears and A mess to Be Reckoned With.
- Media Indigena discusses current Indigenous current affairs.
- Native Opinion - hosted by Michael Kickingbear Johnson (Mashantucket Pequot Tribal Nation) and David Greyowl (Eastern Band of Cherokee Indians)
- This Land - Season 2 | How a string of custody battles over Native children became a federal lawsuit that threatens everything
from tribal sovereignty to civil rights. - In Stolen: Surviving St. Michael's, Connie unearths how her family's story fits into one of Canada's darkest chapters: the residential school system.
- Toasted Sister - is a podcast focused on Native American food.
- U. Wisc. Law Review Podcast on the Indian Law Restatement by Matthew L.M. Fletcher.
Arts and Music
- Native American Musicians You Should Know | Blog - PBS January 14, 2019
- Spotify Playlist | Indigenous Musicians You Should Listen To Now
- Native American Music Awards
- Native and Indigenous Art | Smithsonian American Art Museum
- Index of Indigenous and Native American Artists | The Metropolitan Museum of Art
- Indian Arts and Crafts Board | Department of Interior
2024 Upcoming Native Musicians/Artists:
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- Tia Wood
- Stella Standingbear
- Medicine Place
- Stuart James
Native Fashion Designers/Brands:
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- Jamie Okuma
- Rebekah Jarvey
- Michelle Luna
- Penny Singer
- Peshawn Bread (House of Sutai)
- Courtney Axe (Altrn8v)
- Jeremy Arviso (Original Landlords)
Publications
- Activist Chase Iron Eyes to Pope Francis: Revoke the Doctrine of Discovery
- BROKEN PROMISES: Continuing Federal Funding Shortfall for Native Americans - U.S. Commission on Civil Rights
- Deconstructing the Doctrine of Discovery
- Doctrine of Discovery
- A Quiet Crisis: Federal Funding and Unmet Needs In Indian Country - U.S. Commission on Civil Rights
- USET Educational Book – Second Edition (published March 2022)
- USET Synopsis of Tribal Nation - U.S. Diplomatic Relations
- USET SPF Marshall Plan for Tribal Nations
- Virtual Resources for Schools, Teachers, Parents and Students - From National Indian Education Association
Recommended Books
- "1491: New Revelations of the Americas Before Columbus" by Charles C. Mann (2006).
- "Black Elk Speaks" by J. Neihardt (2014).
- "Braiding Sweetgrass" by Robin Kimmerer (2013).
- "Brave Are My People: Indian Heroes Not Forgotten" by Frank Waters (1993).
- "Great Speeches by Native Americans" Edited by Bob Blaisdell (2000).
- "Buffalo Tiger: A Life in the Everglades (Indians of the Southeast)" by Buffalo Tiger and Harry A. Kersey Jr. (2008)
- "Bury My Heart at Wounded Knee: An Indian History of the American West" by Dee Brown (1970).
- "Ceremony" by Leslie Marmon Silko (1977).
- "Code Talker" by Chester Nez (2011).
- "Crazy" by Joy Harjo.
- "Custer Died For Your Sins" by Vine Deloria, Jr. (1988).
- "Even As We Breathe" by Annette Saunooke Clapsaddle (2020).
- "Everything You Wanted to Know About Indians But Were Afraid to Ask" by Anton Treuer (2012).
- "Fire Keeper's Daughter" by Angeline Boulley (2021).
- "Firsting and Lasting: Writing Indians out of Existence in New England" by Jean M. O’Brien (2010).
- "Forgotten Founders: How the American Indian Helped Shape Democracy" by Bruce E. Johansen (1982).
- "Heart Berries" by Terese Marie Mailhot (2018).
- "House Made of Dawn" by N. Scott Momaday.
- "If You Lived During the Plimoth Thanksgiving" by Chris Newell (2021).
- "Killers of The Flower Moon" by David Grann (2017).
- "Killing the White Man's Indian: Reinventing Native Americans at the End of the Twentieth Century" by Fergus Bordewich (1997).
- "The Life and Traditions of the Red Man: A rediscovered treasure of Native American literature" by Joseph Nicolar (2007).
- "Lost Bird of Wounded Knee" by Renee Sansom Flood (1995).
- "Love Medicine"(1984) and "The Round House" (2013) by Louise Erdrich.
- “Medicine Trail: The Life and Lessons of Gladys Tantaquidgeon” by Melissa Jayne Fawcett (2000)
- "Motorcycles & Sweetgrass" by Drew Hayden Taylor (2010).
- "Reservation "Capitalism" by Robert J. Miller (2012).
- "The Round House" by Louise Erdrich (2013).
- "Tecumseh and the Prophet: The Shawnee Brothers Who Defied a Nation" by Peter Cozzens (2020).
- "There, There" by Tommy Orange (2018).
- "Unsettling Truths" by Mark Charles (2019).
- "Winter In the Blood" by James Welch (1974).
- "Yellow Bird: Oil, Murder, and a Woman's Search for Justice in Indian Country" by Sierra Crane Murdoch (2020).
Children's Books
- "Bowwow Powwow" by Brenda J. Child (2018).
- “Cranberry Day: A Wampanoag Harvest Celebration” by Jannette Vanderhoop (2002).
- “Fighting Eagles/Dear and Turtle” by Sesostrie Youchigant to Mary Haas (2011).
- “Flip and Flop” by Leslie Pearson (2019).
- "Frybread" by Kevin Noble Maillard (2019).
- "An Indigenous Peoples’ History for Young People" by Debbie Reese and Jean Mendoza (2019).
- "Journey of the Freckled Indians" by Alyssa London (2020).
- "Keepunumuk: Weeâchumun’s Thanksgiving Story" by Danielle Greendeer, Anthony Perry, and Alexis Buntern (2022).
- "Race to the Truth: Colonization and the Wampanoag Story" by Linda Coombs (Wampanoag Tribe of Aquinnah) (2023).
- "Thunder Boy Jr. by Sherman Alexie (2016).
- "We Are the Water Protectors" by Carole Lindstrom (2020).
Thanksgiving Day Myths and Facts
- The (Real) Story of Thanksgiving - NBC New York
- The Indigenous Stories Glossed Over in the Typical 'First Thanksgiving' Story - NPR
- Thanksgiving is a Year-Round Practice of Giving Thanks - NPR
- The Myth of Thanksgiving - Washington Post
- The Wampanoag Side of the First Thanksgiving Story - Indian Country Today
- This tribe helped the Pilgrims survive for their first Thanksgiving. They still regret it 400 years later. - Washington Post 11/4/2021
- Thanksgiving Myth Creates Fairytale of Land Theft, Betrayal, Genocide - Indian Country Today
- The Truth About Thanksgiving: What They Never Taught You in School - HuffPost
Videos and Films
- Amá (2019)
- Americana Indian — thinking twice about images that matter - Nancy Marie Mithlo at EDxABQWomen
- America’s Native Prisoners of War - Aaron Huey TED Talk
- The Canary Effect (2006)
- The Capitol Through Her Eyes Secretary Deb Haaland Video
- Congressman Cole speaks on Tribal Sovereignty
- Dark Winds (2022)
- Dawnland (2018)
- Department of Interior Celebrates National Native American Heritage Month (2021)
- For many Native Americans, Thanksgiving is a day of mourning - CNN Video
- For Our People segments are a tremendous resource for educating (and entertaining) your friends, family, and colleagues on the success and innovation of Tribal Nations as they improve the health and well-being of their communities. View all segments at https://www.youtube.com/@TribalSelfGov
- Gather (2020) - now available on Netflix
- Impact Week 2019 USET EOC Panel Discussion
During March of 2019 at the annual USET SPF Impact Week meeting in Washington, DC, the USET and USET SPF Executive Officers discussed current issues impacting Indian Country and the 50th anniversary of USET - Kihtahkomikumon (Our Land) - #IsLandBack in Passamaquoddy Territory
- Killers of the Flower Moon (2023)
- The Long Walk: Tears of the Navajo (2009)
- Native American Heritage Month 2020 - In November 2020, USET Tribal Leaders and individuals across the USET family participated in a 2020 USET/USET SPF Spotlight video series in which they answered the question, "What does Native American Heritage Month mean to you?"
- Cheyenne and Arapaho Tribes Citizen and USET/USET SPF Executive Director Kitcki A Carroll (11/30/20)
- Mashpee Wampanoag Tribal Citizen and USET Tribal Climate Science Liaison Dr. Casey Thornbrugh (11/27/20)
- Mashantucket Pequot Tribal Nation Chairman Rodney Butler (11/25/20)
- Mohegan Tribe of Connecticut Citizen and USET SPF Policy and Legislative Affairs Director Liz Malerba (11/23/20)
- Mississippi Band of Choctaw Nation Citizen and Indian Health Service Nashville Area Office Director Dr. Beverly Cotton. (11/20/20)
- USET’s Economic Development program to recognize and bring greater visibility to USET member Tribal Nation businesses during Native American Heritage Month. While we are elevating these businesses today, please remember to support them throughout the year. (11/18/20)
- Penobscot Indian Nation Citizen and USET Office of Environmental Resource Management Director Jerry Pardilla (11/16/20)
- Mohegan Tribe of Connecticut Chief and USET/USET SPF Secretary Lynn Many Hearts Malerba (11/13/20)
- Eastern Band of Cherokee Indians Citizen and USET Veterans Affairs Committee Chairperson Sam Lambert (11/11/20)
- Alabama-Coushatta Tribe of Texas Chairwoman Cecilia Flores (11/09/20)
- Tunica-Biloxi Tribe of Louisiana Chairman Marshall Pierite (11/06/20)
- Jena Band of Choctaw Indians Chief B Cheryl Smith, USET/USET SPF Treasurer (11/04/20)
- Oneida Indian Nation Representative Ray Halbritter (11/02/20)
- Our Spirits Don't Speak English (2008)
- Our Sisters In Spirit (MMIWG Documentary) (2018)
- THE PENOBSCOT - Ancestral River, Contested Territory
- The People's Protectors - Four Native American veterans reflect on their experiences in during the Vietnam War (2021)
- Prey (2022)
- Project Chariot (2013)
- Reservation Dogs (2022)
- Restoring Tribal Homelands - Presentation by Kitcki Carroll on September 15, 2022
- Rez Ball (2024)
- Rumble: The Indians Who Rocked the World
- Savage Land (available for preorder on November 5 at 6:00 pm Central)
- Sovereign Nations of Virginia Conference 2021 - conference speaker sessions
- ’Strong Hearts’, an award-winning short film by actor, writer and director, Gary “Litefoot” Davis, is filled with a father’s wisdom and indigenous world view, poetically expressed as a cinematic letter to his three sons.
- Thanksgiving ‘National Day Of Mourning’ For Some
- Unspoken: America’s Native American Boarding Schools
- Video Featuring USET SPF Secretary/Mohegan Tribe of Connecticut Chief Many Hearts Lynn Malerba - Discussion on Broken Promises Report
- The Warrior Tradition - Films on PBS
The 574 Federally Recognized Tribal Nations