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National Museum of the American Indian

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

Teaching about Land Acknowledgments in Your Classroom or Community

Coyote and Turkeys Illustration

Native Ghosts and the Supernatural

In the new book, "Living Ghosts and Mysterious Monsters," a Native storyteller shares ancient and contemporary scary stories

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

What can one day tell us? This Friday, December 11, 2020, ten Smithsonian museums and cultural centers are taking a snapshot of this extraordinary year, offering a moment for reflection and sharing perspectives. Join us in this effort to document a day in the life of our nation and the world—a chance to consider together where we’ve been and where we’re going. In addition to collecting individuals’ and families’ stories—with the assistance of wide-ranging questions as prompts—the ten museums and centers present a series of free, virtual programs sharing different perspectives on the issues that have shaped this year. See https://24hours.si.edu/ for the schedule and to register for some of the programs.

Dressed in ceremonial regalia, Senator Ben Nighthorse Campbell (Northern Cheyenne), a veteran of the Korean War, stands with World War II veteran Senator Daniel K. Inouye and Native American veterans of the Vietnam War during the opening of the National Museum of the American Indian on the National Mall. September 21, 2004, Washington, D.C. (Mario Tama/ AFP for the National Museum of the American Indian, Smithsonian)

A Native American Remembrance on Korean Armistice Day

On National Korean War Veterans Armistice Day, Kiowa tribal member Dennis Zotigh pays respect to the veterans who served during the Korean conflict, and especially to the three Kiowa soldiers who gave their lives there. Dennis, whose uncle served in Korea, also shares memories of performing with a Kiowa cultural group in Seoul nearly 20 years ago and his impressions from that trip.

Command Sergeant Major Julia Kelly (U.S. Army retired), one of 80 Native American delegates to the 75th anniversary observance of D-Day, stands on Omaha Beach. Kelly holds an eagle feather staff, an American Indian symbol of respect, honor, and patriotism. (Courtesy of Julia Kelly)

On the 75th Anniversary of D-Day, Native Americans Remember Veterans’ Service and Sacrifices

This year, 80 Native delegates have been asked to take part in the official commemoration of D-Day. Their responsibilities include offering ceremonies at American cemeteries and memorials in Normandy to honor the men and women who served during World War II—part a growing movement to acknowledge the historic service of Native Americans, Alaska Natives, and Native Hawaiians in the U.S. Armed Forces.

George Catlin (1796–1872).

The Choctaw Nation's Gift to the Irish

In 1847, only 14 years after their long, sad march along the Trail of Tears ended, Choctaw people in Oklahoma learned of the Irish famine. With great empathy, Choctaw individuals made donations totaling $170, the equivalent of several thousand dollars today, for the relief of the Irish poor. Here Judy Allen, historic projects office of the Choctaw Nation of Oklahoma, describes “an act that shaped tribal culture" and the lasting friendship it created between the two nations.

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