American Indian Heritage Month
What is American Indian Heritage Month?
What started at the turn of the century as an effort to gain a day of recognition for the significant contributions the first Americans made to the establishment and growth of the U.S., has resulted in a whole month being designated for that purpose.
NC American Indian Heritage Celebration
The celebration features a virtual education day on Friday and an in-person festival on Saturday, celebrating the artistic, historical, and cultural contributions of American Indian communities in North Carolina.
Learn MoreAmerican Indian Heritage Month Toolkit
The NC American Indian Heritage Commission believes that celebrating and sharing the heritage of American Indians goes beyond the month of November. This November, and every month, we continue our work to preserve, protect, and promote North Carolina’s American Indian history, arts, and culture for all people.
The following is a collection of resources to assist you in celebrating American Indian Heritage Month. We encourage you to interact with the toolkit by clicking on corresponding links for items that have been curated to enrich your sense of creativity and community. This 2024 American Indian Toolkit is a testament to North Carolina’s vibrant culture and brilliant future.
Land Acknowledgement
The state of North Carolina is situated on the ancestral homelands of many American Indian tribes who have lived in this place, cared for these lands, and traveled throughout the region for thousands of years. Tribes spoke different variants of Algonquian, Iroquoian, and Siouan languages. We honor them as the first stewards of this place and acknowledge, with sorrow and remorse, the violent history of their dispossession and forced removal. We respectfully acknowledge the Coharie, Eastern Band of Cherokee, Haliwa-Saponi, Lumbee, Meherrin, Occaneechi Band of the Saponi, Sappony, and Waccamaw Siouan and honor the enduring presence, vibrance, and diversity of contemporary Indigenous communities.
