Native American Heritage Month
Race and society
Our librarians selected these resources to illuminate history.
Related reading and more
Each November, we honor National Native American Heritage Month, a time dedicated to celebrating the vibrant cultures, traditions, languages, and histories of Native American communities. Join us in learning more about the diverse cultures and stories that have profoundly shaped our nation’s character. We celebrate these traditions and legacies through our collections, events, and community resources.
Black Writers of the Founding Era
Sunday, December 8 | 3-4:30 pm | Grants Pass branch
Join author and historian James Basker for a special Sunday afternoon book talk and Q&A surrounding his Library of America book, Black Writers of the Founding Era. Featuring more than 120 writers, this anthology reveals the astonishing richness and diversity of the Black experience in the turbulent decades of the American Revolution.
Art and culture
- Smithsonian’s National Museum of the American Indian
- The NMAI cares for one of the world's most expansive collections of Native artifacts, including objects, photographs, archives, and media covering the entire Western Hemisphere.
- Nicole Neidhardt — ARTIST HIGHLIGHT
- Nicole Neidhardt, a Diné artist, creates vibrant illustrations, murals, and more. She illustrated the children’s book When We Are Kind by Monique Gray Smith.
Activities and events
- Local events
- Visit BASE Southern Oregon's event calendar to see upcoming community events.
- Queer Indigenous Gathering
- The tenth annual Queer Indigenous Gathering in March 2025 at Southern Oregon University will bring together past speakers to collaboratively create a curated book of art, poetry, essays, and interviews.
- Alebrijes coloring pages
- Learn about and color fantastical Alebrijes (whimsical creatures or spirit animals) and animals native to Mexico.
Local resources
- BLACK SOUTHERN OREGON ALLIANCE
- Black Southern Oregon Alliance brings people together to enhance educational and economic opportunities for all Black/African Americans and People of Color.
- BASE: BLACK ALLIANCE & SOCIAL EMPOWERMENT
- BASE serves to create a supportive community where Black people in Southern Oregon feel safe, respected, and comfortable being themselves
- COALITION FOR COMMUNITIES OF COLOR
- The Coalition of Communities of Color addresses socioeconomic disparities, institutional racism and inequity of services experienced in our area.
Archives and encyclopedias
- CHINESE AMERICANS IN OREGON
- Explore everything from the Oregon Trail and Native Americans, to the arts and archeology of Oregon. Learn about the Cantonese-Chinese during the Pioneer Period in the 1850s.
- HISTORIC OREGON NEWSPAPERS
- Search and access complete content for historic Oregon newspapers dating back to 1946.
- NDNHISTORY RESEARCH
- Browse a collection of essays on the history and anthropology of Oregon's indigenous tribes.