National Native American Heritage Month

There are 574 federally recognized tribes within the US, according to the Bureau of Indian Affairs, and each tribe has its own culture and traditions. In Arizona, there are 22 federally recognized tribes and the state has a population of over 332,000 Indigenous people, one of the highest in the US nation.

The very first idea of an American Indian Day was Dr. Arthur C. Parker, a Seneca Indian, who was the director of the Museum of Arts and Science in Rochester, N.Y. He persuaded the Boy Scouts of America to set aside a day for the “First Americans” and for three years they adopted the day. The first American Indian Day in a state was declared on the second Saturday in May 1916 by the governor of New York. Several states celebrate the fourth Friday in September. The first proclamation for Native American Heritage Month came in 1990 from President George H.W. Bush, after Congress passed a resolution that designated November 1990 as National American Indian Heritage Month.

In 1991, Congress passed another resolution indicating that every November will be proclaimed as “American Indian Heritage Month,” and since then, every sitting president has signed a proclamation.

There are several installations and places to visit all around the U.S and Phoenix to learn more about Native American history.

CLICK HERE FOR PHOENIX RELATED NATIVE AMERICAN PLACES TO VISIT

CLICK HERE TO LEARN ABOUT NATIVE AMERICAN HISTORY IN THE U.S