November was officially designated as a heritage month in 1990 to recognize America’s original inhabitants and celebrate their rich culture and contributions, then referred to as National American Indian Heritage Month. However, efforts to pay tribute to Indigenous people started long before.
Red Fox James, a member of the Blackfeet Nation, rode horseback across the U.S. seeking approval for a day to honor Native Americans. In 1915, he presented an endorsement from 24 states to the White House. The New York state governor declared the first official American Indian Day in May 1916. President Joe Biden’s 2024 proclamation for this heritage month commits to working with Native communities to “write a new and better chapter in American history.”
A map of Tennessee in 1886. (Library of Congress)
There are 574 federally recognized nations, tribes, and pueblos within the U.S. comprising about 9 million people who identify as American Indian, Alaska Native, Native American, and Indigenous. More than 160,000 people of Native heritage live in Tennessee, according to the 2020 census.
There are no federally recognized tribes or reservations within Tennessee, whose name comes from the native word tanasi from the Yuchi people. The tribes native to Tennessee include the Uchi, Creek, Shawnee, and the Cherokee people. The brutal Trail of Tears campaign in 1838 forcibly expelled many Indigenous people from their native land in present-day Tennessee, and crossed through downtown Nashville.
How to Pay Tribute in Nashville This Month
🤓 Attend:
- Homeschool Day: Native American History Month on Nov. 19 at 10:30 a.m. This free event at the Tennessee State Museum features gallery tours and costumed interpreters.
- Indigenous Voices - Proud Traditions on Nov. 20 at 2 p.m. Head to the Darkhouse Theater for an afternoon of traditional dance, music, and stories to learn about the myths around the first Thanksgiving.
- Stand Against Injustice - From Ancestral Lands to Advocacy webinar on Nov. 21.Listen to a group of panelists discuss the rich but often hidden history of Indigenous communities in Tennessee.
🤗 Support:
- The Native American Indian Association of Tennessee helps improve the quality of life of Native and Indigenous people in the state.
- The Native History Association promotes the understanding and appreciation of Native American history.
🙂 Discover:
- Attend the First Peoples exhibit at the Tennessee State Museum to learn about the original tribes native to the area.
- Explore the Library of Congress’ Indigenous Peoples of the Americas digital collection for research guides, digital collection material, and event video recordings.
