Native American Heritage Month with Richmond Public Library

Posted about 3 minutes ago by Adriane Marshall
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November celebrates the history, culture, traditions, and contributions of Native Americans and Alaska Native Communities. This month-long celebration was first designated in November 1990 by President George H. W. Bush. Furthermore, when it came to determining what month to choose, November ultimately became the best choice to celebrate Native American Heritage Month because it most closely aligned with traditional harvest and tribal gathering seasons.


Celebrate with Us

At Richmond Public Library we have several activities planned in honor of Native American Heritage Month. Be sure to mark your calendars for these upcoming events!

Culture and Craft: Plains Indian Ledger Art – Ginter Park – November 17th – 4:30 PM (Ages 13+) **

Metallic Embossed Aztec Suns – Westover Hills – November 18th – 4:30 PM (Ages 5-13) **

Native American Heritage Month Storytime – Broad Rock – November 19th – 4:30 PM (Ages 5-13)

Bookmark Weaving Inspired by Navajo Textiles – Belmont – November 24th – 4:00 PM (Ages 5-13)

Indigenous Virginia Foodways – Main – November 30th – 4:00 PM (Ages 10-18) **

Please check the ages and registration requirements. (Programs marked (**) require registration.)


Check Out Books by Native American Authors

Native American literature often features a strong connection to nature and spirituality. In addition, there is a heavy focus on cultural identity, heritage, and themes of resilience. To achieve this, these stories frequently blend traditional folklore with modern narratives. More specifically, the writing incorporates oral storytelling traditions, the foundational importance of family and community, and a celebration of the past. Furthermore, many of these works feature a prominent trickster figure—such as the Coyote or Crow—or focus deeply on creation narratives.

I Sang You Down from the Stars

Tasha Spillett-Sumner

Cover of 'I Sang You Down From the Stars' by Tasha Spillett-Sumner. Cover shows a woman holding a baby.

As she waits for the arrival of her new baby, a mother-to-be gathers gifts to create a sacred bundle: a white feather, cedar and sage, and a stone from the river.

Through these items, each addition to the bundle will offer the new baby strength and connection to tradition, family, and community. Over time, as they grow together, mother and baby will each have unique gifts to offer one another.

To bring this story to life, two Indigenous creators—Tasha Spillett and Michaela Goade—combine beautiful words and luminous art in a resonant celebration of the bond between mother and child.

Fry Bread: A Native American Family Story

Kevin Noble Maillard

Cover of 'Fry Bread: A Native American Family Story' by Kevin Noble Maillard. Cover shows a woman holding a baby who is eating fry bread.

This picture book explores the Native American food fry bread through multiple sensory, cultural, and historical lenses.

For instance, the story illustrates how to make fry bread, how to mix it in the bowl, and the sound as it sizzles on the skillet. Beyond its preparation, fry bread is deeply important to families and communities. Most significantly, the reader learns how the dish was born out of survival and forced displacement.

“Fry bread is history / The long walk, the stolen land / Strangers in our own world / With unknown food / We made new recipes / From what we had.”

Thunderous

M.L. Smoker

Cover of 'Thunderous' by M.L. Smoker. Cover shows an crow and a silouhette of a wolf witha girl and lightning behind her.

Aiyana has grown up hearing Lakota tales, and she is over it. Instead of listening, she would rather read what is on the screen of her phone than listen to someone tell a tale. Consequently, things are not good when she ends up in the Spirit World—where, of course, her cell phone doesn’t work! To make matters worse, a trickster, Raven, pursues her just like in the old tales.

Aiyana must travel a difficult path to get home, relying on friends she has met along the way. But, will her new found strength be enought to get home and defeat Raven?

Rez Dogs

Joseph Bruchac

Cover of 'Rez Dogs' by Joseph Bruchac. Cover shows a young girl with a dog in a field.

This book brings the fears of COVID-19 to life in a unique way.

Mailian is spending time with her grandparents on the Wabanaki Reservations when a new virus shuts down all travel. Mailian wants to keep everyone safe. She doesn’t go out to play with her friends, she helps her grandparents learn how to use video chat, and she enjoys spending time with her family. However, when a dog shows up at their house, Mailian might have found a new friend, and a new guardian.

This novel has a more oral format which makes it fun storytelling device.

To The Moon and Back

Eliana Ramage

Cover of 'To the Moon and Back' by Eliana Ramage. Cover shows a volcano erupting with the moon and sky in the background.

Steph Harper wants to go to space, where she thinks whe will be safe, escaping her past. She has long dreamed of being the first Cherokee astronaut. The story spans three decades and follows Steph, from her mother Hannah fleeing an abusive marriage, through her NASA training, a Mars habitat in Hawaii, and other training sites.

The book focuses on her relationships with her mother and sister and explores her romance with her college girlfriend.

The Berry Pickers

Amanda Peters

Cover of 'The Berry Pickers' by Amanda Peters. Cover shows blueberry bushes.

It is July 1962. A Mi’kmaq family from Nova Scotia arrives in Maine to pick blueberries for the summer. Regrettably, just weeks later, four-year-old Ruthie, the family’s youngest child, vanishes. Tragically, the last person to see Ruthie was her six-year-old brother, Joe. As a result, Joe will remain distraught by his sister’s disappearance for years to come.

Meanwhile, elsewhere in Maine, a young girl named Norma grows up as the only child of an affluent family. Within her home, her father is emotionally distant, and her mother is frustratingly overprotective. Compounding this isolated upbringing, Norma often has recurring dreams and visions that seem more like memories than imagination. As she grows older, Norma slowly comes to realize there is something her parents aren’t telling her. Ultimately, unwilling to abandon her intuition, she will spend decades trying to uncover this family secret.

By the Fire We Carry

Rebecca Nagle

Cover of 'By the Fire We Carry' by Rebecca Nagle. Cover is red and shows a landscape.

The book masterfully braids two timelines: on one hand, the 1830s forced removal of Native tribes to Oklahoma, and on the other hand, a 1999 small-town murder involving Muscogee citizens on tribal lan

When the state prosecuted the crime, defense attorneys argued that Oklahoma lacked jurisdiction because Congress never formally dissolved the reservation. Ultimately, this legal battle culminated in the landmark 2020 McGirt v. Oklahoma Supreme Court ruling, which not only reaffirmed treaty boundaries but also resulted in the largest tribal land restoration in United States history.

Love is a War Song

Danica Nava

Cover of 'Love is a War Song' by Danica Nava. Cover shows a girl and a boy laying in a field of flowers and she is holding a guitar.

When his boss tasks him with picking up Lottie—who is fleeing death threats and cancel culture—Avery retreats to her estranged grandmother’s horse ranch in Oklahoma. Upon arrival, she clashes with Lucas Iron Eyes, a grumpy cowboy and ranch manager who detests her public image. However, when the ranch faces closure, they strike a transactional truce: Avery leverages her fame to fundraise while Lucas teaches her about her true Muscogee heritage, ultimately sparking an unexpected, slow-burn romance.


Stream an Indigenous Documentary

Looking for something to watch this November for Native American Heritage Month?

Browse Kanopy’s collection of films and documentaries featuring Native American cultures, histories, and experiences. With your Richmond Public Library card, you can stream for free from wherever you are. So grab some popcorn and just press play!



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Adriane Marshall

Adriane is a long time book lover. A former middle school teacher, Adriane is excited to combine her love of reading with working with youth. When she is not reading you can find her cheering on her Boston Red Sox, the Boston Bruins, or JMU Dukes. In her free time Adriane likes to travel, do crafts, and spend time with her husband, two daughters, and menagerie of animals.

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