Indigenous Peoples’ Day
On Indigenous Peoples’ Day, the second Monday of October, we honor and celebrate the traditions, cultures, and histories of Indigenous communities across the nation as well as the invaluable contributions they make to our society.
Commit on this day and year-round to honoring our responsibilities and commitments to Native American, Alaska Native, Native Hawaiian and affiliated Island communities in the United States, and Indigenous peoples around the world.
Inspiration, articles, and stories from the museum field:
A Journey of Healing
S’eḏav Va’aki Museum
The names of places have power. Learn about creating co-stewardship with tribal communities from two museum staff members how and why the collection of pre-contact archaeological sites previously known as the Pueblo Grande Museum is now the S’eḏav Va’aki Museum.
On Our Terms
The Burke Museum
A storytelling video project in which twelve staff members share their unique perspectives to explain what commonly used DEAI terms like decolonization, consultation, and healing mean in their lives, and the project invites viewers to reflect on their own definitions.
Native Resilience
Minnesota Historical Society
“Mni Sota, the Land Where the Waters Reflect the Sky in the Dakota language, has always been, and will forever remain, an Indigenous place.” Debuting in 2019, the “Our Home: Native Minnesota” exhibition highlights the resiliency and strength of Native nations, communities, and individuals. Read more in this article from Museum.
Spotlight on a Rising Star
Miguel Ordeñana
Miguel Ordeñana, Senior Manager, Community Science, Natural History Museum of Los Angeles County, received a 2024 Nancy Hanks Memorial Award for Rising Stars. One of Miguel’s proudest accomplishments is building relationships with local Indigenous communities through work involving a culturally significant animal. Read the Q&A!
“Indigenous in Plain Sight”
Relive Gregg Deal’s unforgettable keynote and conversation with Virgil Ortiz, C.J. Brafford, John Lukavic, and Dawn DiPrince, from the 2023 AAM Annual Meeting & MuseumExpo in Denver, Colorado. Gregg Deal (Pyramid Lake Paiute Tribe) shared more about his work as a multidisciplinary artist and suggests ways museum professionals can work with and welcome Indigenous peoples to shape a more inclusive future.
Explore related resources from AAM:
The Next Horizon of Museum Practice: Voluntary Repatriation, Restitution, and Reparations
Standards for Museums with Native American Collections (SMNAC) – Learn about the release of this resource in the joint press release.
“How can museums support Native-led climate justice initiatives?” in Museum magazine
“The Indigenous Museum Model” in Museum magazine
“Resisting the Colonial Imagination: The Role of Exhibition Design in the Decolonial Project” in Exhibition journal
Confronting Colonialism: Intersections of Scientific and Cultural Knowledge – On-Demand Program in the AAM Member Resource Library
Decolonizing Museum Collections: A Conversation between Colleagues in the Field – On-Demand Program in the AAM Member Resource Library
Additional resources on:
Resources from:
American Association for State and Local History:
Decolonization And The Road To Indigenization Resource Kit
Learning Course: Introduction to Indigenous History
“Remembering Indigenous People’s History” by Megan Spainhour
National Endowment for the Humanities
Information for Native and Indigenous Communities includes: Events and Activities, Grant Programs, Resources for Applicants, Reports, and Featured Projects
Smithsonian National Museum of the American Indian – Native Knowledge 360°
Unlearning Columbus Day Myths: Celebrating Indigenous Peoples’ Day
We Are Teachers
How To Celebrate and Honor Indigenous Peoples’ Day
Federal Boarding School Initiative Partnership
A new inter-agency partnership of the National Endowment for the Humanities and the Department of the Interior expands the initiative through the collection of oral histories and digitization of records documenting the experiences of survivors and descendants of federal Indian boarding school policies. Learn more.
School for Advanced Research
Building True, Lasting Collaborations with Source Communities
Sharing with the field
Has your museum honored or celebrated Indigenous Peoples’ Day? Consider pitching an idea about your museum’s work with your community, how your museum worked internally on the initiative or program, or another relevant angle for museum professionals. We are always looking for posts that empower museum professionals to do their best work; reveal new ideas and connections; and speak to a wide breadth of museum types, sizes, and disciplines.
About Indigenous Peoples’ Day:
A Proclamation on Indigenous Peoples’ Day, 2024 – The White House