Commemorating National Native American Heritage Month

Two hours south from Washington, DC is a stretch of sharp rocks, known as the Fones Cliffs, jutting abruptly into the Rappahannock River. The Rappahannock Tribe – the river’s namesake – considers this site to be its ancestral heart and homeland. As Rappahannock Chief Anne Richardson observed: “[The land] is special to us because the bones of our ancestors are there.” But starting in the 1640s, English settlers forced the Rappahannock Tribe from their land, as they did to most Native American Indian tribes – separating them from not only the source of their livelihoods, but also their cultural heritage. 

Now, thanks to decades of work by tribal leaders, historians, and conservationists, the Rappahannock Tribe is reclaiming some of that land. Last December the Conservation Fund purchased a 960-acre property in the area and will return it to the Rappahannock Tribe. When added to two previous parcels purchased in a similar manner in 2019 and 2022, this most recent acquisition will complete a 1,600-acre area of Rappahannock tribal land that will soon be open to the public as a site to learn about and honor the tribe and its history.

This November, USAID recognizes Native American Heritage Month, celebrating the rich heritage and diverse histories of Native American and tribal nations. Native American Heritage Month is an opportunity to learn more about the 574 federally recognized tribes in the United States and the Biden Administration’s commitment to Tribal Nations and Native Communities. This year’s theme, "Tribal Nations Soaring to New Heights,” pays homage to the Indigenous People serving in the Federal Government in political assignments and senior leadership, including Secretary of the Interior Deb Haaland, the first Native American to serve as a cabinet secretary. 

USAID and many other government agencies have significant work to do to strengthen our representation from Native American populations: While Native Americans and Alaskan Natives make up 1.7 percent of the U.S. population, USAID’s most readily available data suggest this group makes up less than a quarter of a percent of our total workforce (though this data is limited to direct hire employees). 

We are committed to increasing this representation. This year, USAID sent a delegation to the 2023 American Indian Higher Education Consortium, where we worked to strengthen our relationship with tribal colleges and universities and create more pathways for people from Indigenous communities to work with USAID. And the Office of Civil Rights continues to identify and work to eliminate barriers to employment for Indigenous Peoples. 

USAID is also committed to supporting Indigenous Peoples in our work around the world, investing $84 million in those efforts in 2023. USAID’s Policy on Promoting the Rights of Indigenous Peoples (PRO-IP) promotes thoughtful and direct engagement with Indigenous Peoples in the design, implementation, and monitoring of projects – so that the benefits of our programs reach all members of the communities where we work and align with those communities’ self-determined development objectives. 

During this Native American Heritage Month, I ask that you join me in learning more about Native cultures – present and past – in all their richness, depth, and diversity.