National American Indian Heritage Month
Encyclopedia
On August 3, 1990 President of the United States
President of the United States
The President of the United States of America is the head of state and head of government of the United States. The president leads the executive branch of the federal government and is the commander-in-chief of the United States Armed Forces....
George H. W. Bush
George H. W. Bush
George Herbert Walker Bush is an American politician who served as the 41st President of the United States . He had previously served as the 43rd Vice President of the United States , a congressman, an ambassador, and Director of Central Intelligence.Bush was born in Milton, Massachusetts, to...
declared the month of November as National American Indian Heritage Month. The Bill read in part that “the President has authorized and requested to call upon Federal, State and local Governments, groups and organizations and the people of the United States
United States
The United States of America is a federal constitutional republic comprising fifty states and a federal district...
to observe such month with appropriate programs, ceremonies and activities”. This was a landmark Bill honoring America’s Tribal people.
This commemorative month aims to provide a platform for native people to share their culture, traditions, music, crafts, dance, and ways and concepts of life. This gives native people the opportunity to express to their community, both city, county and state officials their concerns and solutions for building bridges of understanding and friendship in their local area.
Beginning
Years before the bill was introduced, Princess Pale Moon, President of the American Indian Heritage Foundation, had a dream for a special commemorative month dedicated especially to Native people. Pale Moon noted the great success of Black History MonthBlack History Month
Black History Month is an observance of the history of the African diaspora in a number of countries outside of Africa. Since 1976, it is observed annually in the United States and Canada in February, while in the United Kingdom it is observed in October...
and she became impressed with the passionate efforts made to build the exposure and public awareness year after year for Black History Month. She also believed that Native people deserved to have a front row seat in the media, the school curriculum, libraries, national events, newspapers and magazines to tell their story and share their art, crafts, music, dance, culture, traditions and their philosophy for conservation of mother earth and living a peaceful and beautiful way of life. She knew that National American Indian Heritage Month would provide the opportunity to showcase Native people who have become successful in preserving their culture and also move successfully in the business and educational world we live in.
In early spring of 1990, after attending the American Indian Prayer Breakfast at the Capitol, Washington, D.C.
Washington, D.C.
Washington, D.C., formally the District of Columbia and commonly referred to as Washington, "the District", or simply D.C., is the capital of the United States. On July 16, 1790, the United States Congress approved the creation of a permanent national capital as permitted by the U.S. Constitution....
, Pale Moon met with Congressman Eni Faleomavaega in his office and discussed with him the dream she had of the establishment of National American Indian Heritage Month. This was the original name she requested for this celebration month. Dr. Wil Rose, Chief Executive Officer (AIHF) and Ollver M. Abrams, (AIHF Board Member from Oklahoma
Oklahoma
Oklahoma is a state located in the South Central region of the United States of America. With an estimated 3,751,351 residents as of the 2010 census and a land area of 68,667 square miles , Oklahoma is the 28th most populous and 20th-largest state...
) attended that first historic meeting. Representative Faleomavaega said that it was long overdue for such a tribute to native people in this country. He agreed to introduce a Bill to the United States House of Representatives
United States House of Representatives
The United States House of Representatives is one of the two Houses of the United States Congress, the bicameral legislature which also includes the Senate.The composition and powers of the House are established in Article One of the Constitution...
and would ask Senator Daniel Inouye
Daniel Inouye
Daniel Ken "Dan" Inouye is the senior United States Senator from Hawaii, a member of the Democratic Party, and the President pro tempore of the United States Senate making him the highest-ranking Asian American politician in American history. Inouye is the chairman of the United States Senate...
to introduce a Bill in the Senate. Pale Moon was delighted at the prospects of the Proclamation being ready for November 1990.
During the early spring and summer of 1990 she began contacting the House of Representatives, the United States Senate
United States Senate
The United States Senate is the upper house of the bicameral legislature of the United States, and together with the United States House of Representatives comprises the United States Congress. The composition and powers of the Senate are established in Article One of the U.S. Constitution. Each...
and American Indian
Indigenous peoples of the Americas
The indigenous peoples of the Americas are the pre-Columbian inhabitants of North and South America, their descendants and other ethnic groups who are identified with those peoples. Indigenous peoples are known in Canada as Aboriginal peoples, and in the United States as Native Americans...
Tribes for unified Tribal support of the Bill to get it passed into law by November 1990.
Through the joint efforts of Congressman Eni Faleomavaega and Senator Daniel Inouye, Congress enacted legislation to recognize the American Indian during the month of November. Res. 577 was introduced by Congressman Faleomavaega on May 24, 1990 and the Bill passed the House with 219 co-sponsors and the companion Bill, senate Joint Res. 311, was introduced by Senator Inouye, Chairman of the Senate Select Committee on Indian Affairs, and the Bill received the support of 40 co-sponsors in the Senate. There was some discussion about changing the name of the commemorative month but Pale Moon’s desire to keep the name American Indian Heritage Month, was honored and it became official as declared by President Bush in his Proclamation announcement. (see attached) The Presidential Proclamation was signed into law November 14, 1990. Congressman Faleomavaega acknowledged Princess Pale Moon’s leadership in establishing the month in his address to Congress and it became part of the official Congressional Report. (see Rep. Faleomavaega letter)
Current designation
101st Congress – Public Law 101-343 November 1990 National American Indian Heritage MonthPrevious designations
101st Congress – Public Law 101-188 December 3–9, 1989 (American Indian Week)100th Congress – Public Law 100-450, September 23–30, 1988 (American Indian Week)
100th Congress – Public Law 100-171, November 22–28, 1987 (American Indian Week)
99th Congress – Public Law 99-471, November 23–30, 1986 (American Indian Week)
97th Congress – Public Law 97-445, May 13, 1983 (American Indian Day)