Native American Heritage Month

Welcome to the LibGuide on Native American Heritage Month!

November is Native American Heritage Month, a time to honor and celebrate the diverse cultures, traditions, and histories of Native peoples. It is also a time to educate ourselves about the contributions of Native peoples and to enhance our understandings of the unique challenges faced by Native nations as well as the resiliency of Native peoples and communities. 

Terminology: American Indian, Indian, Indigenous or Native American?

Native Knowledge 360º states: "The consensus, however, is that whenever possible, Native people prefer to be called by their specific tribal name. In the United States, Native American has been widely used but is falling out of favor with some groups, and the terms American Indian or Indigenous American are preferred by many Native people. Native peoples often have individual preferences on how they would like to be addressed. When talking about Native groups or people, use the terminology the members of the community use to describe themselves collectively."

Learn more at Native Knowledge 360º from the National Museum of the American Indian. 

Explore more through these national collections, exhibits, and audio-visual archives!