Native American Heritage Month

U.S. Federal and State Reservations

Sitting Bull Born in 1831, in the Grand River region (present day South Dakota) Nickname was Hunkesi, which meant “slow” because he didn’t hurry and did everything with care Member of the Sioux tribe at age 14 Known for his fearlessness in battle Became a leader of the Strong Heart warrior society Successfully increased Sioux hunting grounds Killed in 1890 and buried at Fort Yates

Philip Johnston He came up with the idea to use Navajo for secure communications in War World II The Navajo code talkers transmitted messages in Navajo over telephone and radio, the Japanese never broke the codes

Dr. Arthur G. Parker He is a Seneca Indian, and director of the Museum of Arts and Science. He helped establish the month long celebration of “Native American Indian Heritage Month.” It all started with Dr. Parker asking for a single day of celebration from the Boy Scouts of America and it escalated from there. “Kennewick Man” or the “Ancient Man” The 9,000 years old human skeletal remains found, July 1996, below the surface of Lake Wallula in Washington state. Responsibility for who would take care of the remains caused a great controversy between Indian tribes, local officials, and scientists. The situation was taken to Federal Court

Congressman Brad Carson Congressman Carson, elected in 2000 as the congressman for the Second District of Oklahoma, was the only enrolled Native American tribal member of the United States House of Representatives. Sacagawea She guided Lewis and Clark from the Northern Great Plains to the Pacific Ocean and back between Senator Ben Nighthorse Campbell Senator Campbell was elected in 1992 for U.S. Senator of Colorado. At the time, he was the only American Indian serving in either the House of Representatives or the U.S. Senate.

Red Cloud Chief of the largest tribe in the Teton Sioux Nation Achieved early fame as a warrior and yet was one of the most influential Indian leaders to urge peace with the U.S. government A Site on Northwest Georgia's Chieftains Trail Listed on the National Register of Historic Places

“When you first came we were very many, and you were few; now you are many, and we are getting very few, and we are poor. You do not know who appears before you today to speak. I am a representative of the original American race, the first people of this continent. We are good and not bad. The reports that you hear concerning us are all on one side. We are always well-disposed to them. You are here told that we are traders and thieves, and it is not so. We have given you nearly all our lands, and if we had any more land to give we would be very glad to give it. We have nothing more. We are driven into a very little land, and we want you now, as our dear friends, to help us with the government of the United States.” Chief Red Cloud on Indian Rights, 1870

Ten Largest American Indian Tribes, 2000 Name Population Cherokee729,533 Navajo298,197 Latin American Indian180,940 Choctaw158,774 Sioux153,360 Chippewa149,669 Apache96,833 Blackfeet85,750 Iroquois80,822 Pueblo74,085 Source: U.S. Census Bureau, Census 2000 Summary File 1.

Interesting Knowledge… The word Ohio came from an Iroquoian word meaning "great river." The word Kentucky came from an Iroquoian word "Ken-tah-ten" meaning "land of tomorrow." The word Missouri was named after the Missouri Indian tribe. "Missouri" means "town of the large canoes." Source:

Hunting & Transportation Tomahawk: hatchet generally used by Native North Americans as a hand weapon and as a missile. The ceremonial tomahawk usually was richly decorated with feathers and paint. Some Native Americans had the custom of ceremonially burying a tomahawk after peace had been reached with an enemy. Travois: device used by Native North Americans of the Great Plains for transporting their tepees and household goods. Source: Canoe: used for transportation from one area to the next Bow and Arrow: used for hunting and warfare