Native American Heritage Month takes place every November in the United States, so it runs from Sunday, November 1, to Monday, November 30, 2026.
The month honors the history, cultures, and contributions of American Indian and Alaska Native peoples, and its official recognition dates to 1990.
This guide covers the dates for 2026 and 2027, how the month began, key facts, and ways to take part.
Key takeaways
- Native American Heritage Month is November 1–30 every year; in 2027, it runs from Monday, November 1, to Tuesday, November 30.
- Native American Heritage Day is the Friday after Thanksgiving: November 27, 2026, and November 26, 2027.
- President George H. W. Bush approved the joint resolution that created the first national month in November 1990.
- The United States recognizes 575 tribal nations, after the Lumbee Tribe was added to the federal list in January 2026.
Native American Heritage Month at a glance
- 2026 dates: Sunday, November 1 – Monday, November 30, 2026.
- 2027 dates: Monday, November 1 – Tuesday, November 30, 2027.
- Native American Heritage Day: Friday, November 27, 2026; Friday, November 26, 2027.
- First national month: November 1990.
- Also called: National American Indian Heritage Month; American Indian and Alaska Native Heritage Month.
- Public holiday: no. Schools, banks, and offices stay open.
Table of Contents
When is Native American Heritage Month?
Native American Heritage Month is November 1–30 every year. In 2026, it starts on a Sunday and ends on a Monday; in 2027, it starts on a Monday and ends on a Tuesday.
The month includes Native American Heritage Day on the Friday after Thanksgiving. The Native American Heritage Day Act of 2009 named that Friday each year as a day to honor Native Americans. In 2026, it falls on November 27, and in 2027, on November 26.
How did Native American Heritage Month start?
Native American Heritage Month grew from early 20th-century campaigns for a day honoring American Indians, and became a national month in 1990. The key steps, from the Native American Heritage Month website:
| Year | What happened |
|---|---|
| Early 1900s | Dr. Arthur C. Parker, a Seneca and director of a museum in Rochester, New York, campaigns for an American Indian Day. |
| 1915 | On September 28, 1915, the Rev. Sherman Coolidge’s proclamation declares the second Saturday of each May as American Indian Day. |
| 1915 | Red Fox James, a Blackfoot man, rides on horseback from state to state and presents endorsements from 24 state governments at the White House on December 14, 1915. |
| 1916 | The governor of New York declares the first state American Indian Day, on the second Saturday in May. |
| 1990 | President George H. W. Bush approves a joint resolution designating November 1990 as National American Indian Heritage Month. |
| 1994 onward | Presidents issue yearly proclamations under names such as Native American Heritage Month. |
| 2009 | The Native American Heritage Day Act names the Friday after Thanksgiving as Native American Heritage Day. |
In November 2025, the White House marked the month with a presidential message rather than the usual formal proclamation (Native News Online). Federal agencies, schools, and tribes continue to observe the month each November.
Is it Native American, American Indian, or Indigenous Heritage Month?
All of these names refer to the same November observance. The 1990 resolution used “National American Indian Heritage Month,” later proclamations used “National Native American Heritage Month,” and the Census Bureau uses “American Indian and Alaska Native Heritage Month.”
People use many names too, including “native american month,” “native american history month,” and “indigenous heritage month.” Many Native people prefer to be called by their own nation’s name, such as Navajo (Diné), Cherokee, or Lakota, where that is known.
“Indigenous Peoples Month” is sometimes used for October, when some states and cities mark Indigenous Peoples’ Day. In Canada, June is National Indigenous History Month.
Native American Heritage Month facts
The American Indian and Alaska Native population is 7.7 million people, counting those who identify as American Indian or Alaska Native alone or with another race, according to 2024 Census Bureau estimates.
| Fact | Figure | Source |
|---|---|---|
| American Indian and Alaska Native population, alone or in combination (2024) | 7.7 million | Census Bureau |
| Projected population in 2060 | 9.0 million, 2.5% of the US | Census Bureau |
| Federally recognized tribal nations (January 2026) | 575 | Department of the Interior |
| Federally recognized reservations (2025) | 325 | Census Bureau |
| Alaska Native village statistical areas (2025) | 221 | Census Bureau |
| American Indian and Alaska Native veterans (2024) | 123,404 | Census Bureau |
The newest federally recognized tribe is the Lumbee Tribe of North Carolina. Legislation signed in December 2025 granted full federal recognition, and the Department of the Interior added the tribe to the official list on January 30, 2026, bringing the total to 575.
Native American Heritage Month activities
You can mark Native American Heritage Month by learning from Native sources and supporting Native communities. Popular ideas for schools, workplaces, and families include:
- Read Native authors: choose novels, poetry, or history written by Native writers, or start a class or office book club.
- Visit a museum: the Smithsonian’s National Museum of the American Indian has locations in Washington, DC, and New York City, plus online exhibits.
- Learn whose land you live on: look up the tribal nations connected to your area and their history today.
- Attend a public event: many tribes, universities, and cities host talks, film screenings, art markets, and powwows open to visitors.
- Support Native-owned businesses: buy art, books, and food directly from Native makers and companies.
- Make a classroom display: teachers often build a bulletin board around a timeline, a map of tribal nations, or Native leaders, scientists, and artists.
Use primary sources where you can. The Native American Heritage Month website links to collections from the Library of Congress, National Archives, National Park Service, and Smithsonian.
Related dates in 2027
Native American Heritage Month is one of several dates that honor Indigenous peoples during the year:
| Date | Observance | Where |
|---|---|---|
| June 2027 | National Indigenous History Month | Canada (since 2009) |
| Monday, June 21, 2027 | National Indigenous Peoples Day | Canada |
| Monday, August 9, 2027 | International Day of the World’s Indigenous Peoples | United Nations |
| Monday, October 11, 2027 | Indigenous Peoples’ Day | Many US states and cities (second Monday of October) |
| November 1–30, 2027 | Native American Heritage Month | United States |
| Friday, November 26, 2027 | Native American Heritage Day | United States |
Every heritage and awareness month in 2027 is listed in the Awareness Calendar 2027.
Native American Heritage Month dates 2025 to 2031
The month is always November 1–30; only the weekdays and the date of Native American Heritage Day change.
| Year | Starts | Ends | Native American Heritage Day |
|---|---|---|---|
| 2025 | Saturday, November 1 | Sunday, November 30 | Friday, November 28 |
| 2026 | Sunday, November 1 | Monday, November 30 | Friday, November 27 |
| 2027 | Monday, November 1 | Tuesday, November 30 | Friday, November 26 |
| 2028 | Wednesday, November 1 | Thursday, November 30 | Friday, November 24 |
| 2029 | Thursday, November 1 | Friday, November 30 | Friday, November 23 |
| 2030 | Friday, November 1 | Saturday, November 30 | Friday, November 29 |
| 2031 | Saturday, November 1 | Sunday, November 30 | Friday, November 28 |
Frequently asked questions
When is Native American Heritage Month 2026?
Native American Heritage Month 2026 runs from Sunday, November 1, to Monday, November 30, 2026.
When is Native American Heritage Month 2027?
Native American Heritage Month 2027 runs from Monday, November 1, to Tuesday, November 30, 2027.
Why is Native American Heritage Month in November?
Congress and President George H. W. Bush designated November 1990 as the first national month, and presidents have kept November since. November also includes Native American Heritage Day, the Friday after Thanksgiving.
When is Native American Heritage Day?
Native American Heritage Day is the Friday after Thanksgiving: November 27, 2026, and November 26, 2027.
Is Native American Heritage Month a federal holiday?
No, Native American Heritage Month is a commemorative month, not a federal holiday. Government offices, banks, and schools stay open.
How many federally recognized tribes are there?
There are 575 federally recognized tribal nations, after the Lumbee Tribe of North Carolina was added to the list on January 30, 2026.
