November is recognized as National Native American Heritage Month. The goal is to celebrate the traditions, languages and history of Native American, Alaska Native, Native Hawaiian and affiliate Island communities.
This formal commemoration has roots that reach back to the early 1900s when Dr. Arthur C. Parker, director of the Museum of Arts and Science in Rochester, New York, persuaded the Boy Scouts of America to set aside a day to honor our First Americans. During these early years, different organizations and states would celebrate various First American days at different times of the year, often linked to the quest to recognize Native Americans as citizens, which was not always the case.
President George H. W. Bush approved the first resolution designating November 1990 as “National American Indian Heritage Month.” The designation has subsequently been renamed “Native American Heritage Month,” “National American Indian and Alaska Native Heritage Month,” and other variations in an effort to be more inclusive of the many First American people who create the foundation cultures of our nation.
In our efforts to continue to learn about and appreciate the great diversity of Vernon Hills and our nation, the Village encourages everyone to recognize and learn more about the history and culture of our First American neighbors: