Native American Heritage month started on November 1st. It was created to celebrate the rich culture of American Indians as well as bring awareness to the problems they continue to face. The First American Indian day was celebrated in May of 1916 in New York. In 1990, President George H.W Bush approved a joint resolution designating November as National American Indian Heritage Month and similar proclamations have been issued each year since 1994. “The month is a time to celebrate rich and diverse cultures, traditions, and histories and to acknowledge the important contributions of Native people,” according to the National Congress of American Indians (NCAI). Many others believe the same such as IllumiNative founder Crystal Echo Hawk. “Our resilience and our strength as the first peoples of this land should be celebrated every day.” As previously mentioned American Indians have endured more than enough and we should strive to celebrate that. 
There are multiple ways to celebrate the month because there has been no official way documented. Recognizing what land you’re on and taking some time out of your day to open a book and learn about American Indian heritage is a good way. Educating yourself on modern American Indian Heritage problems is also very important. More than ⅘ American Indian women have experienced some sort of violence. The U.S Bureau of Indian Affairs also suggests wearing red during the week of November 15-21 to draw attention to acts of violence committed against American Indians. Ensuring you or others don’t objectify American Indian culture is one of the best things you can do. Attending a powwow which is a sacred social gathering is a great way to celebrate but make sure you know powwow etiquette and remain respectful

Even just speaking for 5-10 minutes at your Thanksgiving dinner about the issues American Indians have to deal with is enough to help the cause. American Indians have endured more than enough and we owe them a month of celebration at the very least.