Native American Heritage Month: Fact Sheet

Native American Heritage Month: Fact Sheet Updated October 29, 2026 (R44258) Introduction Native American Heritage Month (also known as National American Indian Heritage Month) celebrates the contributions and achievements of Native Americans. November was first designated as National American Indian Heritage Month on August 3, 1990, by P.L. 101-343 to authorize and request the President to proclaim November 1990 (and every November thereafter) as "Native American Indian Heritage Month." Since then, Presidents have issued annual proclamations promoting this observance. On June 26, 2009, P.L. 111-33 , the Native American Heritage Day Act of 2009 , designated the Friday after Thanksgiving as Native American Heritage Day. This guide assists congressional offices with work related to Native American Heritage Month celebrations. It provides links to sample congressional speeches and recognitions, presidential proclamations, statistical data, cultural resources, and selected federal agencies and programs that focus on Native American issues. This guide also includes links to selected educational and advocacy organizations. Selected Congressional Speeches and Recognitions Members of Congress often make floor statements, issue press releases, and enter extensions of remarks into the Congressional Record to recognize federal holidays. The following are some recent examples that may be of assistance in preparing such statements: Representative Betty McCollum, " Honors National Native American Heritage Month ," press release, November 26, 2025 Representative Tom Cole, " A Heritage to be Proud of ," press release, November 19, 2024 Representative Hakeem Jeffries, " Statement on Native A merican Heritage Month ," press release on Democratic leader's website, November 1, 2023 Representative Don Bacon, " Recognizing National Native American Heritage Month ," remarks in the House, Congressional Record , November 2, 2021 Presidential Proclamations One of the uses of a presidential proclamation is to honor a group or call attention to certain issues or events. Proclamations commemorating Native American Heritage Month include the following: Presidential Proclamations —President Donald Trump (2025-) 1 Presidential Proclamations —President Joe Biden (2021-2025) Presidential Proclamations —President Donald Trump (2017-2021) 2 Presidential Proclamations —President Barack Obama (2009-2017) Presidential Messages and Remarks —President George W. Bush (2001-2009) Earlier presidential proclamations are available through the Government Publishing Office website at govinfo.gov. Statistics Federal statistics on the American Indian population are available at the following websites: Facts for Features: National Native Heritage Month: November 202 5 , Census Bureau Statistics on population, reservations, tribes, families, housing, languages, education, veterans, income, and health insurance American Indian and Alaska Native Data Links , Census Bureau Includes population snapshot and detailed reports Health of American Indian or Alaska Native Population , Centers for Disease Control and Prevention Native American Heritage Month Cultural Resources Numerous government resources provide information on the history and culture of the holiday. Some of these include the following: Native American Heritage Month , a collaborative site of multiple federal agencies National Native American Heritage Month , Bureau of Indian Affairs Native American Heritage Month , National Park Service National Register of Historic Places: National American Indian Heritage Month , National Park Service National Museum of the American Indian , Smithsonian Institution Selected Federal Agencies and Programs Federally Recognized Indian Tribes and Resources for Native Americans, USA.gov Includes sections on cultural, housing, and legal resources Bureau of Indian Affairs , Department of the Interior Administration for Native American s , an o ffice of the Administration for Children and Families, Department of Health and Human Services Indian Health Service , Department of Health and Human Services Office of Indian Education , U.S. Department of Education Educational, Cultural, and Advocacy Organizations Numerous nongovernmental organizations provide information on and promote advocacy for Native Americans. Some of these include the following: Association on American Indian Affairs First Nations Development Institute National Congress of American Indians National Urban Indian Family Coalition Footnotes 1 . Link provides access to proclamations and remarks made by President Trump during both of his terms where available. 2 . Link provides access to proclamations and remarks made by President Trump during both of his terms where available.

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