Native American Heritage Month

November is a good time for reflection.  This November at Jessup Library we focus our attention on the heritage of Native America.  We are also celebrating the literary achievements of Native writers, such as Sherman Alexie and Joy Harjo, that contribute to the contemporary expressions of Native America.  Alexie is particularly excellent at observing the tight-rope that some Native peoples (including himself) walk in modern America in respect to the two worlds they inhabit. 

Author Sherman Alexie

To explore the history (past and contemporary) we have several books in our collection that are enlightening and interesting to delve into.  One could start with the classic Bury My Heart at Wounded Knee about the Wounded Knee massacre of the Lakota Sioux in 1890 by the U.S. Army, or read the more contemporary Spirits of the earth : a guide to Native American nature symbols, stories, and ceremonies.  Or, there are books on Geronimo, the Trail of Tears, and much more.  

With Thanksgiving on the horizon, now is a good time to explore the past so that we can understand the present and see where we wish to go in the future.