During the month of November, as part of Native American Heritage Month, campuses across Indiana University will celebrate the contributions and cultures of Native and Indigenous communities. A month-long schedule of events, activities, and programming on IU's campuses will enable students and others to learn about and honor Native communities and traditions.
“Native American Heritage Month is an opportunity for our students, faculty, and members of the community to come together and reflect on the diversity of Native Americans and the rich histories within contemporary Native communities,” says Rashad Nelms, interim vice president for the Office of the Vice President for Diversity, Equity, and Inclusion.
As part of Native American Heritage Month, IU campuses provide an array of programs designed to support Native students on campus, as well as to educate the broader IU campus communities about the history and of Native American culture.
Efforts to acknowledge the contributions and achievements of Native Americans date back to as early as 1916, when New York became the first state to declare an “American Indian Day.” This acknowledgment is the result of the work by Red Fox James, a member of the Blackfeet Nation, who rode from state to state on horseback seeking approval from 24 state governments for a day to honor Native Americans.
In 1986, the U.S. Congress passed a proclamation authorizing “American Indian Week.” Four years later, in 1990, President George H. W. Bush approved a joint resolution designating November as “National American Indian Heritage Month.” Presidential proclamations have since been issued annually to celebrate the heritage and culture of Native Americans.
In October 2021, President Joe Biden and his administration officially declared November as Native American Heritage Month.
IU campuses can access a wide variety of digital tools, such as Zoom backgrounds, social profile images, and Snapchat filters to support Native American Heritage Month.
To learn more about the events and programming taking place across IU as part of National Native American History Month, visit here. https://diversity.iu.edu/cultural-involvement/heritage-months/index.html.