Description and History

National Native American Heritage Month is celebrated each year in November. It is a time to celebrate the traditions, languages and stories of Native American, Alaska Native, Native Hawaiian, and affiliated Island communities and ensure their rich histories and contributions continue to thrive with each passing generation. In 1990, President George H. W. Bush approved a joint resolution designating November 1990 “National American Indian Heritage Month.” Similar proclamations, under variants on the name (including “Native American Heritage Month” and “National American Indian and Alaska Native Heritage Month”) have been issued each year since 1994.

 

Professional Learning Resources

National Native American Heritage Month is a resource site from The Library of Congress which features online workshops and learning experiences; exhibits, art, and collections; and an educator section. 

American Indians in Children’s Literature is a database organized by Dr. Debbie Reese with reviews, lists, articles, and posts about the issues in children’s literature related to Native and Indigenous representation and reviews of literature which is both problematic and excellent. This resource is an excellent first stop for collection development. 

The American Indian Youth Literature Award is given in even-numbered years to authors and illustrators for their work in picture books, middle grade and young adult categories. 

 

Learner Engagement Resources

From We Need Diverse Books, Indigenous Reads Rising is a website dedicated to Indigenous children’s literature. The site includes book lists, articles from Native authors and educators, and best practices for teaching. 

Dancing with Traditions: Crayola Creativity Week
Becca Munson, a blogger for Knowledge Quest, shares lesson ideas, books, and videos to use in connecting dance with Native American traditions. The post was written in conjuction with Crayola Creativity Week 2023.

 

Book Lists

These visual book lists include reading recommendations for all grade bands of students. Use them as is or customize them by swapping out titles for ones your library owns.