About the Month
In 1990, President George H. W. Bush signed a joint resolution that authorized the month of November as Native American Indian Heritage Month.
Prior to this resolution, there were week long commemorations held to celebrate Native Americans. Through Senate Joint Resolution 209, President Gerald Ford declared October 10-16,1976 as Native American Awareness Week. Senate Joint Resolution 390 designated November 23-30, 1986 as American Indian Week followed by annual weekly celebrations during the fall as Native American Indian Heritage Week until the 1990 resolution was signed into law.
Native American Heritage Month was introduced by Hawaiian Senator Daniel Inouye and congressional delegate Eni Faloemavaega of American Samoa to have the people of the United States to celebrate the month with appropriate activities and ceremonies.
Director of Libraries
