"Native Americans are often considered the “minority of the minority” in the United States because they have historically experienced a high degree of marginalization and discrimination, even within the broader category of racial and ethnic minorities. Despite being the original inhabitants of the continent, Native Americans have been subjected to centuries of forced displacement, cultural suppression and genocide at the hands of colonizers.
"Treated as second-class citizens and exploited almost from the moment that explorers and colonizers first arrived on the continent in 1492, it wasn’t until major legislation was passed in the 1900s that Native Americans began to see some of their civil rights recognized.
1924 with the Indian Citizen Act (Snyder Act) that granted citizenship to Native Americans
1940s through 1962 – Granted the right to vote (per state)
1978 American Indian Religious Freedom Act that gave freedom to practice their own religions
"Additionally, Native Americans are the only racial minority group that must have a card or some kind of enrollment status with their federally recognized tribe that shows how “Indian” they are based on blood quantum ratios and/or proof of ancestry to the tribal community.
"According to the 2020 Census, Native Americans and Alaska Natives make up only 2.9% of the total U.S. population. This small population size, combined with their historical marginalization, contributes to their status as a minority within a minority."
National Native American Heritage Month celebrates the traditions, languages and stories of Native American, Alaska Native, Native Hawaiian, and affiliated Island communities to ensure their rich histories and contributions continue to thrive with each passing generation.
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National Native American Heritage Month is celebrated each year in November. It is a time to celebrate the traditions, languages and stories of Native American, Alaska Native, Native Hawaiian, and affiliated Island communities and ensure their rich histories and contributions continue to thrive with each passing generation. In 1990, 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”) have been issued each year since 1994.