National Native American Heritage Month

November is National Native American Heritage Month, an observance of the culture and history of American Indian and Alaskan Native peoples.

The Census Bureau reports there were 576 federally recognized Indian tribes in 2020. Nearly 143,000 single-race American Indian and Alaska Native veterans served in the U.S. armed forces in 2019.

“It’s important to expand our understanding of native people beyond the stereotypical stories many of us grew up with,” said Kaitlin Giles, Diversity, Equity & Inclusion (DE&I) Business Partner. “The stories we learned about ‘cowboys and Indians’ or the traditional Thanksgiving celebration do not begin to give us a complete or accurate picture of Native Americans. Native cultures are widely recognized as storytelling cultures. What better way to recognize them than to watch and listen to their stories?” asked Kaitlin.

Here are links to movies and videos that will help expand your understanding of Native Americans while you enjoy a good story:

• Five Native Films You Should Be Streaming in 2021
• 2021 Native Cinema Showcase
• PBS has a collection of documentaries and short films, with a few recipes included as well

If you prefer to read your stories instead of watch them, consider these Native American authors from the Open Education Database, or these 10 Essential Native American Novels from Publishers Weekly.