As we begin Native American Heritage Month, we acknowledge that CCRC headquarters is located on Tongva, Chumash and Tataviam land. Modern day Chatsworth was once home to the Tongva village until the 1790s. Nearby Stoney Point, about five miles away, was known as a spiritual landmark that was used by shamans during the winter solstice celebration.

Recognizing all Ancestral Territories

Our offices in San Bernardino County and Antelope Valley sit on the ancestral territory of the Maara’yam (Serrano) people. In reclaiming their namesake, language, and traditions, the tribe is now known as the Yuhaaviatam of San Manuel Nation. Yuhaaviatam means the People of the Pines and reflects the tribe’s creation story.

A Legacy of Advocacy: Red Fox James

The first American Indian Day was celebrated in May 1916 in New York. Red Fox James, a member of the Blackfeet Nation, rode horseback from state to state to get endorsements from 24 state governments to have a day to honor American Indians.

The Origins of Native American Heritage Month

Native American Heritage Month began as an effort to recognize and celebrate the unique contributions of the nation’s first peoples. In 1990, President George H.W. Bush approved a joint resolution designating November as National American Indian Heritage Month. Today, it is known as Native American Heritage Month and is observed each November to honor the achievements and contributions of Native Americans. Congress chose November because it traditionally marks the end of the Native Americans’ harvest season and is generally a time of celebration and giving thanks.

Citizenship and the Fight for Voting Rights

Native Americans were granted U.S. citizenship on June 2,1924 through the Indian Citizenship Act signed by President Calvin Coolidge. Some Native Americans were already considered U.S. citizens because of the 1887 Dawes Act, which was passed to help spur assimilation and granted citizenship to those who accepted land grants. However, even after gaining citizenship, many Native Americans continued to face barriers to voting.

Did you know?

• 26 U.S. state names are derived from Native American words for rivers
• 7.2 million – The number of American Indian and Alaska Natives in the United States in 2022. Alaska and Oklahoma have the largest population.
• The Navajo tribe is the largest in the U.S. with over 320,000 members.

Explore California’s Indigenous territories at Native Land Digital.

Ways to Celebrate and Acknowledge

Visit Cultural Sites

Chatsworth Historical Society: Located at the Homestead Acre, a Los Angeles Cultural Historical monument, this site has a collection of Indigenous Artifacts for viewing.

Antelope Valley Indian Museum Historic State Park: Open weekends, view thousands of artifacts from the Southwest, Great Basin and California including pottery, hunting and fishing equipment, tools, textiles, and more.

San Bernardino County Museum: The Sacred Earth Exhibit at this museum in Redlands explores stories and items from the Serrano, Cahuilla, and Chemehuevi people. If you can’t make it to the museum, you can view images of the items here.

Read Native American Literature

Visit your local library or listen online to these children’s books:

All Around Us by Xelena Gonzalez

Bowwow Powwow by Brenda Child

Fry Bread: A Native American Family Story by Kevin Noble Maillard

Watch Indigenous Films

Gather: A First Nations film on food sovereignty and cultural reclamation.  It is available to stream on Netflix.

Reel Injun: A lookat Hollywood’s portrayal of Native Americans and how it shaped the views and understandings of people around the world. It is available for free here.

Without a Whisper: The story of the influence indigenous women had on the early suffragists. It can be found on PBS.