Native American Heritage Month, observed in November, celebrates the rich histories, cultures, and contributions of Native Americans. It raises awareness about indigenous issues, promotes understanding of tribal sovereignty, and highlights Native American achievements.  

The month encourages learning about the challenges faced by indigenous peoples and their resilience, while fostering dialogue on preserving Native traditions and addressing historical injustices. Through various events and programs, it aims to increase respect and appreciation for Native American communities. 

Ways to Celebrate: 

Learn More About Indigenous leaders in Massachusetts: MassLive asked readers to identify Indigenous leaders in Massachusetts who are making a difference across the state. 

Documentary Club: Lakota Nation vs. United States: Celebrate Native American Heritage Month with Documentary Club! They will be watching Lakota Nation vs. United States (2022; PG-13; 2h), a chronicle of The Lakota Nation’s fight to protect their sacred land. Group discussion after screening. Join on Tuesday, November 5, 2024 from 5:30 PM – 7:30 PM.  

Smithsonian’s National Museum of the American Indian: Online Workshop Foundations for Transforming Teaching and Learning about Native Americans: Explore the impact problematic narratives about Native Americans have on society and student education, as well as learn ways to recognize and share more complete narratives, both inside and outside the classroom November 7, 2024. 

Important Women and Non-Binary People, Past and Present, in the Native American Community: 

• Deb Haaland – Debra Anne Haaland is an American politician serving as the 54th United States Secretary of the Interior. She made history when she became the first Native American to serve as a cabinet secretary.  

• Kimberly Guerrero – Kimberly Guerrero is a Native American actress, screenwriter, college professor and motivational speaker. As a Native American activist, her acting career has focused on Native American roles and storylines.  

• Lily Gladstone – Lily Gladstone is a Native American actress who made history in 2024 by becoming the first Native American woman to be nominated for an Academy Award for Best Actress for her role in Killers of the Flower Moon. Lily goes by both “she” and “they” pronouns, explaining that in most Native languages, most Indigenous languages, Blackfeet included, there are no gendered pronouns. 

• Lois Ellen Frank – Lois Ellen Frank, Ph.D., is a New Mexico-based Native American food historian, cookbook author, culinary anthropologist, and educator. She won a 2003 James Beard Foundation Award for her cookbook Foods of the Southwest Indian Nations, the first cookbook of Native American cuisine so honored. 

• Lynn Malerba – Marilynn Malerba (Mutáwi Mutáhash) is an American tribal leader currently serving as the lifetime chief of the Mohegan Tribe in Connecticut and the Treasurer of the United States. She is the first woman to lead the Mohegan Tribe in nearly 300 years and the first Native American to oversee the production and distribution of currency in the U.S. history. 

• Nanyehi Nancy Ward – Nanyehi, known in English as Nancy Ward, was a Beloved Woman and political leader of the Cherokee. She advocated for peaceful coexistence with European Americans and, late in life, spoke out for Cherokee retention of tribal hunting lands. She is credited with keeping her people safe during, and after, the Revolutionary War and the introduction of dairy products to the Cherokee economy.