November is Native American Heritage Month, a celebration that dates back 30 years.
President of the U.S. George H.W. Bush declared November as National American Indian Heritage Month on Aug. 3, 1990, according to the National American Heritage Month website. The celebration has continued under various names since.
The National Congress of American Indians (NCAI) states on its website that the month is a time to honor and recognize the contribution of Native Americans to the country, along with the many obstacles they have to overcome.
“November is a time to celebrate Native people and their contributions to the United States,” the NCAI stated. “The goal is to educate about the rich and diverse cultures, traditions, and histories of Native Americans. Additionally, it is an opportunity to educate the public about tribes, raise awareness about the challenges Native people have encountered in the past and presently, and the ways in which tribal citizens have conquered these challenges.”
President Joe Biden's Build Back Better plan hopes to reinvigorate Tribal Nations in their goals to attain political and economic self-sufficiency, spread climate resiliency and safeguard their territorial sovereignty, according to an Oct. 29 press release.
“Despite a painful history marked by unjust federal policies of assimilation and termination, American Indian and Alaska Native peoples have persevered,” Biden wrote in the release.
