American Indian History

Recommendations include Things That Make White People Uncomfortable, Fist Stick Knife Gun: A Personal History of Violence in America and The Making of Black Revolutionaries: A Personal Account.

Smithsonian Scholars and Researchers Share Works That Shed Light on the History of U.S. Racism

In this dynamic time, a list of film, podcasts and books is offered for a nation grappling with its fraught history

Patricia Stone (Akimel O'odham) and Leonard Stone (Akimel O'odham) with their new baby, 1965. Gila River Indian Community, Arizona.

How Do American Indians Celebrate Mother's Day?

In the early 20th century, Native people responded to the proclamation of Mother’s Day with powwows, ceremonies, rodeos, feasts, and songs

A previous version of the Land O'Lakes logo, featuring Mia, an indigenous woman dubbed the "Butter Maiden"

Land O'Lakes Drops the Iconic Logo of an Indigenous Woman From Its Branding

The story behind the image, and its removal, led to mixed reactions from the public, including native communities

A distribution of essential supplies from the Navajo government to residents in the Jeddito, Arizona area.

How the Pandemic Is Affecting the Navajo Nation

A conversation about the challenges facing—and the resilience of—the largest reservation in the country, which has become a COVID-19 hotspot

The Wisdom of the Universe (detail) by Christi Belcourt (Michif), 2014

Native Women Artists Reclaim Their Narrative

The first major exhibition of its kind, "Hearts of Our People," boasts 82 pieces from 115 Native women across North America

Follow along with the #SmithsonianEdu hashtag.

Eight Digital Education Resources From Around the Smithsonian

The newly launched #SmithsonianEdu campaign highlights 1.7 million online tools geared specifically toward students and teachers

Ken Gonzales-Day’s photograph of the Portrait of Shonke Mon-thi^ now resides in the collections of the Smithsonian's National Portrait Gallery.

Recognition of Major Osage Leader and Warrior Opens a New Window Into History

The story of Shonke Mon-thi^, a hidden figure in American history, is now recovered at the National Portrait Gallery

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For Indigenous Peoples’ Day, a Rethinking of How We Celebrate American History

Indigenous Peoples’ Day recognizes that Native people are the first inhabitants of the Americas, including the lands that later became the United States

Wall construction began last month within the Organ Pipe Cactus National Monument, replacing existing vehicle barriers and pedestrian fencing with a continuous, 30-foot-tall steel bollard fence.

Planned Border Wall May Threaten 22 Archaeological Sites in Arizona, N.P.S. Says

Centuries-old artifacts are at risk should the Trump Administration move forward with its work along the border between the U.S. and Mexico

This school year, three new Smithsonian lesson plans on the Inka Empire, Native American treaties and the history of 19th-century Cherokee removal became available to K-12 educators.

Inside a New Effort to Change What Schools Teach About Native American History

A new curriculum from the American Indian Museum brings greater depth and understanding to the long-misinterpreted history of indigenous culture

Sochan, a relative of the sunflower, can grow up to ten feet tall. Packed with vitamins and minerals, it rivals kale as a nutritional powerhouse.

Cherokee Indians Can Now Harvest Sochan Within a National Park

For the first time, the indigenous community is allowed to gather the cherished plant on protected land

Harjo, pictured at the 2005 Sundance Film Festival in Park City, Utah.

Joy Harjo’s New Poetry Collection Brings Native Issues to the Forefront

The recently announced U.S. Poet Laureate melds words and music to resist the myth of Native invisibility

In 1912, sculptor Alexander Phimister Proctor created Buffalo (model for Q Street Bridge).

What Do Bovids, Bridges and the West Have to Do With American Art?

In the debut episode of “Re:Frame,” Smithsonian curators explore the iconic symbol of the West, the American Bison

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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

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The Treaty That Forced the Cherokee From Their Homelands Goes on View

Negotiated in 1835 by a few, disavowed by a majority and challenged by a legally elected government, the Treaty of New Echota began the Trail of Tears

Canadian Museum Association Receives $1 Million to Foster Reconciliation With Indigenous Peoples

The funding is part of a broader effort to address lasting damages caused by the residential school system

Almost all of Cannon’s large paintings (above: Three Ghost Figures, 1970), are portraits, often in electric shades of orange, purple and brilliant blue. Many vividly depict Native Americans as living, sometimes flawed individuals.

How T.C. Cannon and His Contemporaries Changed Native American Art

In the 1960s, a group of young art students upended tradition and vowed to show their real life instead

Cherokee syllabary inscription from 1.5km into Manitou Cave (average element vertical height approximately 80mm)

Cave Markings Tell of Cherokee Life in the Years Before Indian Removal

Written in the language formalized by Sequoyah, these newly translated inscriptions describe religious practices, including the sport of stickball

Marking the entry point for Section 14 is the sculpture Agua Caliente Women by artist Doug Hyde.

How the Agua Caliente Band of Cahuilla Indians Held On in Palm Springs

The one-mile square area, known as Section 14, competes for sovereignty with the wealthy in Southern California

Queen Liliʻuokalani (above in Honolulu in 1917) “was one of the most successful composers . . . so much so that her repertoire remains at the forefront of those performed by Hawaiian musicians today,” says the Smithsonian's John Troutman

How the Music of Hawaiʻi’s Last Ruler Guided the Island’s People Through Crisis

A prolific composer, Queen Liliʻuokalani created some of the most popular Hawaiian tunes and compositions of all time

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