November Celebrates Native American and Dutch American Heritage
November 17, 2022
November is Native American Heritage Month, which celebrates the rich histories, diverse cultures and important contributions of our nation’s first people.
In 1990, then-president George H. W. Bush approved a joint resolution designating November 1990 “National American Indian Heritage Month.” Similar proclamations, under variants on the name, including “Native American Heritage Month” and “National American Indian and Alaska Native Heritage Month,” were issued yearly since 1994.
Native American Heritage Month formally recognizes the diverse and rich cultures, histories and traditions and helps promote the significant contributions of Native Americans. To learn more, visit the Native American Heritage Month website here.
Did you know?
- The ten largest Native American tribes are Navajo, Cherokee, Sioux, Chippewa, Choctaw, Apache, Pueblo, Iroquois, Creek and Blackfeet.
- “The last Indian” Ishi was the last known surviving Native American Yahi tribe member.
- The Sequoia tree is named in honor of Cherokee leader Sequoyah.
- Although it has been 500 years, Native Americans are still often referred to as Indians.
- Convinced he landed in “the Indies” (Asia), Christopher Columbus mistakenly called Native Americans “Indians.”
- The names of many U.S. states derive from Amerindian words, such as Connecticut, Kentucky and Arizona.
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Also celebrated in November is Dutch American Heritage Day. Recognized on November 16, Dutch-American Heritage Day commemorates the longstanding relationship between the United States and the Netherlands. One of the first countries to recognize the United States as a sovereign state, the two nations have established a strong relationship with one another.
The Dutch settled throughout the United States, with concentrations in New Jersey, New York and the Midwest. After the original colonists arrived in the 17th century, Dutch immigrants began arriving in the United States in large numbers in the mid-to-late-19th century, with another sizable wave arriving after World War II. Today, most Dutch Americans reside in Michigan, Iowa, Illinois, Ohio and Wisconsin. For more on Dutch American Heritage Day, click here.
Did You Know?
- The first Dutch settlers arrived in America in 1624.
- There are an estimated 4.5 million Americans of total or partial Dutch heritage.
- During WWII, Dutch and American service members fought together to defend the universal cause of freedom and democracy.
- Prominent Dutch American political figures include presidents Martin Van Buren, Warren G. Harding, Theodore Roosevelt and Franklin D. Roosevelt.
- Famous Americans with Dutch ancestry include Bruce Springsteen, Dick Van Dyke, Alex and Eddie Van Halen and Rachel Maddow.