Native American Heritage Month

November is Native American Heritage Month. Reinhardt University seeks to celebrate the long history of Indigenous people and communities. While enjoying the change of seasons, we encourage you to take a moment to reflect on the rich culture, traditions, history, significant contributions and sacrifices of Native Americans.

About Native American Heritage Month

Native American Heritage Month is a time to celebrate, recognize, and inform the public about the cultures, traditions, histories, art, and contributions of Native Americans/American Indians and Alaska Natives. The month was first designated in the United States in 1990. Such recognition, however, dates back further with state and organizational recognition of Indigenous peoples days and commemorations occurring at the turn of the twentieth century. For example, Dr. Arthur C. Parker, a Seneca Indian and co-founder of the Society of American Indians in 1911, organized American Indian Day beginning in 1915. More recently, Columbus Day, which is recognized on the second Monday of October, has been reclaimed in cities across the United States as Indigenous’ People's Day.

To celebrate these remarkable people and their heritage, consider attending these events hosted by Reinhardt University.

Lecture – Triumph over Tragedy: The Cherokee Nation Again Thrives

Friday, November 3

2:00 PM

Funk Heritage Center

Troy Wayne Poteete is a former Cherokee Nation Supreme Court Justice and current national executive director for the Trail of Tears Association.

Poteete's presentation will discuss how Cherokee citizens have drawn inspiration from their ancestors who overcame their deportation on the infamous forced removal called the Trail of Tears. He'll show how Cherokees have confronted setbacks since then to preserve their government, history, culture, and language, with an emphasis on the modern-day Cherokee Nation, a distinct cultural and political entity, once again thriving in northeastern Oklahoma,

Funk Heritage Center Free Admissions Day

Saturday, November 4

10 AM-4 PM

Funk Heritage Center

This is a great day for people of all ages to visit the center and learn about Native Americans and their culture. There will be demonstrations of Atlatl spear-throwing, the Chunkey game, flintknapping, and carving. In the Appalachian settlement behind the facility, visitors can see how people lived in the 1800s and experience blacksmiths and other craftsmen.

Inside the museum, Tony Harris, a Cherokee Nation citizen, will speak about native plants and their traditional uses. In addition, local residents John and Ann Jones will present their recent experiences following the Trail of Tears to Oklahoma.

The Funk Heritage Center is Georgia’s Official Frontier and Southeastern Indian Interpretive Center, it is the mission of the Funk Heritage Center to tell the story of the early Appalachian Settlers and Southeastern Indians through educational programming and the collection, care and exhibition of art and artifacts.

In the 2020 U.S. Census, 7.1 million individuals reported American Indian/Native American/Alaska Native heritage. The federal U.S. government recognizes 574 tribes, with additional tribes recognized by state governments across the country.

As part of this celebration, we have compiled a collection of resources for exploring the rich culture, unique traditions, and ongoing contributions of Native Americans.