Celebrate history this month

While the latter part of the 20th century saw both Black History Month and Hispanic Heritage Month rise to the forefront of American culture, very few people are aware of American Indian Heritage Month.

The beginnings of an American Indian Heritage Month date back to the early 1900s when individuals like Arthur Parker wanted to set aside a day to recognize American Indians and their contributions.

Ronald Reagan designated a national American Indian Week in 1987, but it wasn’t until August 1990 that President George H.W. Bush declared the month of November as National American Indian Heritage Month.

American Indian Heritage Month is particularly relevant to North Carolina because of the impact that American Indians have had on the state.

North Carolina’s American Indian population stands at 122,100 — which is the largest American Indian population located east of the Mississippi River.

The state also contains eight state-recognized tribes, including the Eastern Band of Cherokee Indians, which is fully recognized by the federal government. The Lumbee Tribe has partial federal recognition.

The first settlement with indigenous people of the current-day continental U.S. was also in North Carolina. The Roanoke colony, also commonly referred to as “the Lost Colony,” was established in eastern North Carolina in 1585.

Recent years have also seen the discovery of Fort San Juan and Cuenca, which was established in 1567 on the settlement of the American Indian town of Joara, now present-day Morganton, N.C. This makes it the oldest European settlement site in the continental U.S.

It doesn’t just stop at the state level. Many are unaware of the American Indian connections that are right here at UNC.

Henry Owl became the first American Indian to be admitted to UNC in 1929, graduating with a master’s degree in history. American Indian students began to graduate with bachelor’s degrees from the University in the 1950s.

In 1972, there were only 41 American Indian students at UNC. Students formed the Carolina Indian Circle in 1974 to build a support network for Native American students and to share their culture on campus. An American Indian studies program was founded at UNC in 1998. In 2006, UNC created the American Indian Center, which is one of the only places on the East Coast to focus solely on American Indian issues and research.

American Indians are a valuable part of our nation’s past. This month that is set aside for them is essential to the U.S.’s reputation as a multicultural society. UNC’s resources like the American Indian Center and programs like American Indian studies show that a part of this rich history is located right here in Chapel Hill.

Throughout the month of November, we should take the time to recognize the trials, contributions and achievements of Native Americans in our country, state and University.