LA County Library: Native American Heritage Month

Press release from LA County Library:

October 29, 2021

National Native American Heritage Month celebrates the culture, contributions and heritage of Native Americans. For many years, Native Americans and others proposed that a special day be set aside to honor Native Americans. The efforts to establish a day of recognition has resulted in a month being designated for the purpose. Since 1976, the President of the United States and Congressional resolutions have proclaimed a day, week or month of recognition.

Virtual Programming

Music of the Gabrielenos Webex Smarty Pants Storytime: Native American Heritage Month Webex Easy Native Plants for Urban Spaces Webex People Facing the Sun: The History of the Fernandeño Tataviam Band of Mission Indians YouTube Interview with Los Angeles City/County Native American Indian Commission Executive Director Alexandra Valdes YouTube

Native American Heritage Month Book Talks

In celebration of Native American Heritage Month, we’re sharing weekly Book Talks in November, featuring items in our American Indian Resource Center collection.

Week 1: News from Native California
Recommended for adults.
Download Reader’s Guide

A magazine that brings Native perspectives to the forefront and shares upcoming events, tribal rights, environmental issues, arts, languages, histories, social justice movements, and stories of California’s diverse Natives peoples. The American Indian Resource Center has the full run from 1987 to the current issue. To check out the magazine, call or visit the American Indian Resource Center.

Download Reader’s Guide

Activity Ideas

American Indian Resource Center

Reading Lists

Indigenous Peoples of California Booklist

Indigenous Peoples of California Booklist

The First Angelinos: The Gabrielino Indians of Los Angeles

Murder State: California's Native American Genocide, 1846-1873

We are the Land: A History of Native California

Mabel McKay: Weaving the Dream

Bad Indians: A Tribal Memoir

California Through Native Eyes: Reclaiming History

American Indian Experiences

There There

The Heartbeat of Wounded Knee: Native America from 1890 to the Present

Heartberries: A memoir

Almanac of the Dead: A Novel

Ceremony

When My Brother Was an Aztec

American Indian Titles for Children and Teens

The Water Walker

We Are Water Protectors

Fry Bread: A Native American Family Story

We Are Grateful / Otsaliheliga

The People Shall Continue

At the Mountain's Base

Native American Heritage Month Virtual Film Festival

Check out these 2020 videos featuring films about Native Americans from Kanopy. You can access the films with your LA County Library card number and PIN. Be sure to also check out the Viewer’s Guide for discussion questions and additional resources.

Additional Information

Native American Heritage Month
Native American Heritage Month – Library of Congress website includes the history of the establishment of Native American Heritage Month.
Census Facts, Native American Heritage Month 2021
National Museum of the American Indian – Part of the Smithsonian Institution, the National Museum of the American Indian (NMAI) cares for one the world’s largest collection of Native artifacts. NMAI operates 3 facilities and a large outreach department that includes websites, traveling exhibitions, and community programs.

Local Resources
Short Overview of California Indian History – Written by Professor Edward D. Castillo, Cahuilla-Luiseno, for the California Native American Heritage Commission.
Los Angeles City/County Native American Indian Commission – The mission of Los Angeles City/County Native American Commission (NAIC) is two fold: 1. increase the acquisition and local application of federal funds and 2. represent the special interests and concerns of Native Americans in the Los Angeles City and County. Visitors to the NAIC website can connect to local tribal governments, regional Native American organizations, and various federal and state departments.
UCLA Mapping Indigenous LA

Other Resources
Conversations: Land Acknowledgements
Indigenous Digital Archive’s Treaties Explorer
Native Knowledge 360° – For teachers and students, Native Knowledge 360° incorporate Native perspectives on Native American history and cultures.

Native American Heritage Month Census Facts, Native American Heritage Month 2021 National Museum of the American Indian Conversations: Land Acknowledgements Indigenous Digital Archive’s Treaties Explorer Native Knowledge 360°

This press release was produced by LA County Library. The views expressed here are the author’s own.