Native American Heritage Month
As November comes to a close and we reflect on things we are grateful for as the holiday season approaches, SBEZ would like to bring awareness to the Native and Indigenous peoples.
November is Native American Heritage Month, also sometimes referred to as American Indian and Alaska Native Heritage Month. This serves to celebrate the culture and contributions of Native peoples.
Image retrieved from https://blogs.loc.gov/law/2019/11/chief-standing-bear-and-his-landmark-civil-rights-case/ on Dec. 2, 2022
Native American Heritage Month was signed into law in 1990. United States Courts recognizes and “call(s) attention to the culture, traditions, and achievements of the nations original inhabitants and of their descendants”
It wasn’t until 1879 that an individual Native American was recognized as a person with the same rights as an American citizen rather than a prisoner of the government. This individual was Chief Standing Bear. Chief Standing Bear was able to advocate for himself and his tribe against the American Government stating through a translator, “ My hand is not the color of yours, but if I pierce it, I shall feel pain. If you pierce your hand, you also feel pain. The blood that will flow from mine will be the same color as yours. The same God made us both. I am man.”
Image retrieved from https://chiefstandingbear.org/standing-bear-in-lincoln-sculpture-is-instantly-iconic/ on Dec. 2, 2022
SBEZ recognizes the sacrifices and sufferings of Indigenous Peoples, both past and present. SBEZ asks you to take a moment to acknowledge the sacrifices made by those native and indigenous peoples.
References:
https://www.ncai.org/initiatives/native-american-heritage-month