Native American History

In 2004, relatives of Albert Penn found the bust made in his image. From left: family members Virginia Maker, Larry Taylor, Evelyn Taylor, Andrea Bone and anthropologist David Hunt.

An Osage Family Reunion

With the help of Smithsonian model makers, the tribal nation is obtaining busts of ancestors who lived at a pivotal moment in their history

Traditional Thanksgiving dinner includes turkey, stuffing and mashed potatoes but the First Thanksgiving likely included wildfowl, corn, porridge and venison.

What Was on the Menu at the First Thanksgiving?

The history of the holiday meal tells us that turkey was always the centerpiece, but other courses have since disappeared

Two antique dams on Washington state's Elwha River are set to be demolished.

On the Elwha, a New Life When the Dam Breaks

A huge dam-removal project will reveal sacred Native American lands that have been flooded for a century

On the day of the battle, 6,000 to 7,000 Indians were camped on the flats beside the Little Bighorn River.

How the Battle of Little Bighorn Was Won

Accounts of the 1876 battle have focused on Custer's ill-fated cavalry. But a new book offers a take from the Indian's point of view

John Ford, who filmed westerns in the valley (the Mittens and Merrick Butte), called it the "most complete, beautiful and peaceful place on earth."

Behind the Scenes in Monument Valley

The vast Navajo tribal park on the border of Utah and New Mexico stars in Hollywood movies but remains largely hidden to visitors

Almira Buffalo Bone Jackson (in 1994) once said that she would "dream the colors [of quilts] at night."

A Spectacular Collection of Native American Quilts

Tribes from the Great Plains used quilts as both a practical replacement of buffalo robes and a storytelling device

The Centennial Ride to Wounded Knee, December 29, 1990. Photograph by James Cook

Photograph Captures the Centennial Ride to Wounded Knee

On December 29, 1990, photographer James Cook caught sight in the distance of more than 350 horseback riders who were recreating the ride to Wounded Knee

Christopher Columbus carried ideas that boded ill for Indies natives.

Columbus' Confusion About the New World

The European discovery of America opened possibilities for those with eyes to see. But Columbus was not one of them

Congress wanted safe passage for white settlers on the Oregon Trail.

Carving Out the West at the Great Smoke Conference

In 1851, American Indian tribes gathered to seek protection of their western lands from frontiersman on the Oregon Trail

Six Indian chiefs passing in review before President Roosevelt during his 1905 Inaugural parade. Left to right: Buckskin Charlie (Ute), American Horse (Oglala Sioux), Quanah Parker (Comanche), Geronimo (Chiricahua Apache) and Hollow Horn Bear (Brule Sioux).

Indians on the Inaugural March

At the invitation of Theodore Roosevelt, six Indian chiefs marched in his inaugural parade as representatives of their tribes

Despite receiving critical acclaim, the Curtis film was a box office failure.

Around the Mall: Old Documentary on Western Tribes Restored

How a Film Helped Preserve a Native Culture

For decades, Native American groups requested the return of artifacts and human remains. Though there were occasional repatriations, the protests either fell on deaf ears or tribes lacked the financial and legal support necessary to complete the process.

The Road to Repatriation

The National Museum of the American Indian works with Native Tribes to bring sacred artifacts home again

“Strong Medicine” Speaks

Recollections from the matriarch of a once hidden tribe

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Sculpting Her Vision

A photo gallery of Nora Naranjo-Morse's inspiring outdoor designs

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Sitting Bull's Legacy

The Lakota Sioux leader's relics return to his only living descendants

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Tongue Tied

Some 200 Native American languages are dying out and with them valuable history

Zuni or not, every woman is obliged to pitch in for the Sha'lako corn-grinding ceremony. During the religious festival, says Morell (far right), "people are expected to set aside all feelings of ill-will and hostility."

Mystery and Drama

Virginia Morell, author of "The Zuni Way," on the mystical ceremonies of the Zuni pueblo

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Native Intelligence

The Indians who first feasted with the English colonists were far more sophisticated than you were taught in school. But that wasn't enough to save them

Friendly to whites most of his life, Mandan Chief Four Bears (in an 1832 portrait by George Catlin) turned bitter as death approached, blaming them for the disease that would kill him.

Tribal Fever

Twenty-five years ago this month, smallpox was officially eradicated. For the Indians of the high plains, it came a century and a half too late

The new Indian memorial.

Little Bighorn Reborn

With a new Indian memorial, the site of Custer's last stand draws descendants of victors and vanquished alike

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