Since 2009, November has been declared National Native American Heritage Month, underscoring the importance of appreciating the rich history, diverse cultures, and significant contributions of our country’s first inhabitants.
It is also a powerful reminder of their enduring presence and significant influence in today’s American society.
There are countless ways Native Americans have profoundly shaped our current society.
From agriculture to medicine as well our modern vocabulary, Native Americans have played a vital part in developing so much that we take for granted today.
Their influence is woven deep into our everyday lives.
Baby Bottles, infant formula, pain relievers, and even rubber are thanks to the innovation of Native Americans.
Did you know that 60% of the world’s food eaten today was domesticated by Native Americans?
Foods like corn, beans, tomatoes, and potatoes as well as raised-bed farming used for modern vegetable production is a technique invented by Natives in South and Central America hundreds of years before Europeans occupied this country.
Cultivating the land is today only possible because of the ways Native Americans' ecological ethic of respecting and protecting the environment.
The fear of global warming that has guided our growing environmental movements has long been recognized by Indigenous communities, as they recognized the interconnectedness of life, a principle helping to shape the concept we now call sustainability.
Besides honoring Native American’s contribution to society, it is also a time to educate ourselves on their complex history and contemporary struggles.
Appreciating the rich tapestry of cultures in our society goes beyond just one month.
Let the learning and recognition of Native American Heritage be an ongoing endeavor.
Visit our library today to begin your journey.
Let’s cherish our cultural diversity and strive to be more informed, more understanding, and more inclusive.
Below is a list of just some of the titles we have at our library.
These titles range from board books for infants to adult graphic novels.
Appreciating the rich tapestry of cultures in our society is something Des Plaines Public Library is committed to pursuing all year round.
"Highlighting the fact that contemporary Native life is ongoing, this ... picture book presents truths about Native Americans that everyone should know. Whether facing forced assimilation or tribal termination or celebrating self-determination or the Indian Child Welfare Act, Native people in the United States will always declare: We are still here!"--Dust jacket flap.
J 970.1 SOR
A collection of intersecting stories set at a powwow that bursts with hope, joy, resilience, the strength of community, and Native pride. In a high school gym full of color and song, Native families from Nations within the borders of the US and Canada dance, sell beadwork and books, and celebrate friendship and heritage. They are the heroes of their own stories.
J FICTION ANCESTOR
A middle-grade verse novel set during the COVID-19 pandemic, about a Wabanaki girl's quarantine on her grandparents' reservation and the local dog that becomes her best friend.
J FICTION BRUCHAC
Presents an eclectic collection of poems, essays, interviews, and art that combine to express the experience of being a Native woman
HIGH SCHOOL 970.00497 NOT
"On a journey to uncover her family's story, Spotted Fawn travels through time and space to reclaim a connection to ancestors, language, and the land--creating a path forward in this essential graphic novel. Adapted from the acclaimed stop-motion animated film of the same name, written and directed by Amanda Strong, Four Faces of the Moon brings the oral and written history of the Michif, Cree, Nakoda, and Anishinaabe Peoples and their cultural link to the buffalo alive on the page.
GN STRONG, AMANDA
