Native American Heritage Month
The American story is rooted in Native American Heritage. That is why at Jessup Library we will be celebrating Native American Heritage Month this November. The aim is to explore not just the history of Native Americans, but the present and what the future looks like by exploring books about the culture, religion, history, stories, and struggles that Native Americans are facing today.
Dig into the myths about Native Americans in Roxanne Dunbar-Ortiz's "All the Real Indians Died Off", tackling misconceptions such as "Thanksgiving Proves the Indians Welcomed the Pilgrims" or "Sports Mascots Honor Native Americans." A serious issue that is brought to the forefront in Chip Colwell's Plundered Skulls and Stolen Spirits is the fight for Native American artifacts to be returned to the nations from the museums around the country that have acquired them. Louise Erdrich is an author who looks at modern-day issues in the Native American community, such as in her fictional book The Round House which starts with an Ojibwa woman being attacked in 1988.
A recent discovery of the graves of 160 Indigenous First Nations children were found on the grounds of a Canadian residential school, leading into a fresh look at the horrors of such schools. Margaret D. Jacobs explores the the history of Indigenous children being removed from their families and assimilated in these so-called schools where they were abused if they spoke their own language in White Mother to a Dark Race.
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| Carlisle Indian School, Pennsylvania. |
Admittedly, these books carry heavy and difficult subject matter, but education is the first step to understanding. Exploring the history, the culture, and the present day existence of Native Americans this November is a great stepping-off point for learning more.
Additional Reading: