Smithsonian Voices

From the Smithsonian Museums

cover of If You Lived During the Plimoth Thanksgiving, showing a Native American man watching a ship in the bay

'If You Lived During the Plimoth Thanksgiving' by Chris Newell Exposes New Truths About a Major American Holiday

Just in time for Thanksgiving, this newly released book explains the events surrounding the original feast at Plimoth – from a Native perspective.

Theresa Secord (Penobscot, b. 1958). Ear of corn basket, 2003. Maine. 26/1694. By looking at Thanksgiving in the context of living cultures, we can make the holiday a more meaningful part of teaching and learning, in school and at home.

Five Ideas to Change Teaching About Thanksgiving, in Classrooms and at Home

Educator’s Blog: Land Acknowledgments as a Tool Towards Social Justice in Your Classroom

Coyote and Turkeys Illustration

Native Ghosts and the Supernatural

Various Pride flags (rainbow, transgender, equality, LGBTQ+ people of color, and love rainbow) displayed alongside the Navajo Nation flag in Window Rock, Arizona. (Photo by Pamela J. Peters (Diné)/Táchii’nii Photography, used with permission)

LGBTQIA+ Pride and Two-Spirit People

The National Native American Veterans Memorial at the National Museum of the American Indian in Washington, D.C.

National Museum of the American Indian in Washington, D.C. to Reopen May 21

Mitchelene BigMan with fellow members of the Native American Warriors. (Photo courtesy of NMAI)

National Women's History Month: Mitchelene BigMan

Deb Haaland speaks at the Groundbreaking Ceremony for the National Native American Veterans Memorial, Saturday, Sept. 21, 2019. Paul Morigi/AP Images for Smithsonian's National Museum of the American Indian.

Reactions From Indian Country to Deb Haaland's Confirmation as Secretary of the Interior

N8V Dance Fitness instructor Michelle Reed (far right) poses with participants of the Hannaville Indian Community of Michigan (Photo used with permission, courtesy of Michelle Reed)

Meet Three Native Women Combining Powwow Dance With Other Types of Fitness

Hank Adams carries a letter from the White House to Chief Frank Fools Crow (Oglala Lakota) during the siege of Wounded Knee. Pine Ridge Reservation, South Dakota, 1973. (Hank Adams Collection)

“The Most Important Indian”—In Memory of Hank Adams (1943–2020)

“Hogan in the Snow,” ca. 1985. Painted by Robert Draper (Diné [Navajo], 1938–2000). Chinle, Navajo Nation, Arizona. 26/6481 (National Museum of the American Indian, Smithsonian)

Christmas Across Indian Country, During the Pandemic and Before

Volunteers with the Navajo & Hopi Families Covid-19 Relief Fund distribute food and other essential supplies to isolated communities and farmsteads on the Navajo Nation and Hopi Reservation. As part of the Smithsonian's virtual program 24 Hours in a Time of Change, Shandiin Herrera (Diné)—seated on the left, wearing a Duke University sweatshirt—describes how this grassroots response to the COVID-19 pandemic came together last spring and shares her experiences as the fund's volunteer coordinator in Monument Valley, Utah. (Photo by Karney Hatch)

Smithsonian Wants Your 2020 Stories

Percy Sandy (A:shiwi [Zuni], 1918–1974).

Seven Native American Chefs Share Thanksgiving Recipes

Rebecca Hill-Genia in the award-winning documentary

Films for Fans of All Kinds from the Museum’s Native Cinema Showcase 2020, This Year Screening Online

Doña Ofelia Esparza decorates the ofrenda

Celebrate the Day of the Dead from Home with Music, Butterfly Science, Cultural Presentations, and Family Activities

California Natives gather in front of City Hall to celebrate Los Angeles's second annual Indigenous Peoples Day. October 14, 2019, Los Angeles, California. (Photo courtesy of Helena Tsosie)

Rethinking How We Celebrate American History—Indigenous Peoples’ Day

On Indigenous Peoples’ Day 2020, the museum brings young Native activists together online to discuss the tension between history and memory, and how both are reflected in the current racial and social landscape. Hip-hop artist Frank Waln contributes a musical performance. From left to right: Musician Frank Waln; panelists Brook Thompson, Dylan Baca, Lina Krueck, Julian Brave NoiseCat, Michaela Pavlat, and Alberto Correa III. (Photos courtesy of the participants)

Five Ideas for Celebrating Indigenous Peoples’ Day 2020

Native American veterans of the Vietnam War stand in honor as part of the color guard at the Vietnam Veterans War Memorial. November 11, 1990, Washington, D.C. (Photo by Mark Reinstein/Corbis via Getty Images)

Native Americans Have Always Answered the Call to Serve: National VFW Day 2020

Cody Ayon (Tsistsistas [Southern Cheyenne]) enlisted in both the U.S. Navy and the New Mexico Army National Guard. The Native community of Albuquerque welcomed then-Lieutenant Ayon home with a Soldier Dance after his service during the Iraq War. (Steven Clevenger [Osage], courtesy of Cody Ayon)

“We took our way of life with us to keep us strong. We represented our tribes in keeping with these values.” —Captain Cody Ayon

An Indigenous couple marries on the beach at Assateague Island National Seashore and Assateague State Park. Many of the United States' National Parks are places of historical, cultural, and sacred meaning for Native communities. (Photo used with the permission of Desirée Shelley Flores)

How Native Americans Bring Depth of Understanding to the Nation’s National Parks

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'If You Lived During the Plimoth Thanksgiving' by Chris Newell Exposes New Truths About a Major American Holiday

Five Ideas to Change Teaching About Thanksgiving, in Classrooms and at Home

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