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| National Native American Hall of Fame | |
|---|---|
| Name | National Native American Hall of Fame |
| Established | 2010s |
| Location | Washington, D.C. |
| Type | Indigenous peoples museum and hall of fame |
| Director | Deb Haaland |
National Native American Hall of Fame is a United States institution honoring notable Indigenous leaders, artists, activists, warriors, athletes, scholars, and cultural figures from diverse Native nations across Turtle Island. Its collections and ceremonies celebrate contributions by individuals such as Sitting Bull, Sacagawea, Tecumseh, Wilma Mankiller, Geronimo, and Bessie Coleman, situating their lives within broader narratives involving figures like Red Cloud, Chief Joseph, Sequoyah, Black Elk, and Pocahontas. The Hall connects partnerships with institutions including the National Museum of the American Indian, the Smithsonian Institution, the Anne Frank Center USA, and tribal governments such as the Cherokee Nation, the Navajo Nation, and the Standing Rock Sioux Tribe.
The Hall originated from advocacy by Native leaders, cultural institutions, and legislators following events such as the 2009 initiatives led by advocates allied with the National Congress of American Indians and supporters in the United States Congress including members like Ben Nighthorse Campbell and Tom Cole. Early planning involved museums and organizations such as the National Museum of the American Indian, the American Indian Museum of Washington, and universities like the University of Oklahoma and the University of New Mexico. Fundraising efforts attracted tribal nations including the Osage Nation and foundations connected to figures like W. Richard West Jr. and curators who worked with collections from the Peabody Museum of Archaeology and Ethnology and the Autry Museum of the American West.
Major milestones included advisory councils convening elders and scholars—representatives from nations such as the Lakota Sioux, Cherokee, Choctaw Nation of Oklahoma, Ojibwe (Chippewa), and Haudenosaunee—and partnerships with artists like T.C. Cannon and Marie Watt. Exhibitions drew on archival materials from repositories including the Library of Congress, the National Archives, and tribal cultural centers like the Tohono O'odham Cultural Center. Ceremonial inductions referenced historical events such as the Trail of Tears and the Wounded Knee Massacre to contextualize inductees’ legacies.
The Hall’s mission emphasizes recognition of Indigenous excellence by highlighting leaders such as Crazy Horse, Chief Seattle, Chief Plenty Coups, Sequoyah, and Ely S. Parker while promoting education through collaboration with museums and institutions like the Smithsonian National Museum of Natural History and the National Archives and Records Administration. The purpose integrates cultural preservation with public programming featuring scholars such as Vine Deloria Jr., Paula Gunn Allen, and Joy Harjo, and supports tribal language revitalization efforts informed by activists including Mary Brave Bird and N. Scott Momaday.
The institution aims to bridge tribal histories and contemporary accomplishments by spotlighting creators and leaders such as Louise Erdrich, Sherman Alexie, Roxanne Dunbar-Ortiz, Deb Haaland, Winona LaDuke, Billy Mills, and Jim Thorpe through exhibits, educational materials, and traveling displays developed with partners like the National Endowment for the Humanities and the National Endowment for the Arts.
Nomination procedures allow tribal nations, cultural organizations, museums, and public supporters to propose candidates; committees draw on expertise from scholars such as Adrienne Keene and Philip J. Deloria and tribal elders from nations including the Pueblo peoples, Tlingit, Aleut, and Inuit. Criteria evaluate historical impact, cultural leadership, artistic achievement, and community service, referencing precedents set by awards like the Presidential Medal of Freedom and honors bestowed by institutions such as the Native American Rights Fund.
Selection panels have included representatives from the National Congress of American Indians, tribal historic preservation officers, museum curators with experience at the National Museum of the American Indian, and historians from universities including Harvard University and the University of Arizona. Induction ceremonies feature traditional protocols observed by elders from nations such as the Anishinaabe and the Choctaw Nation of Oklahoma alongside public figures and lawmakers.
Inductees span eras and disciplines: pre-contact and historic leaders like Powhatan, Montezuma II, Hiawatha, Rain-in-the-Face, and Tecumseh; 19th-century figures such as Red Jacket, Osceola, Sitting Bull, and Geronimo; 20th-century pioneers including Wilma Mankiller, Maria Tallchief, Bessie Coleman, Carlisle Indian Industrial School–era advocates, athletes such as Jim Thorpe and Billy Mills, artists like Fritz Scholder and R. Carlos Nakai, writers including Louise Erdrich and Sherman Alexie, and contemporary leaders such as Deb Haaland, Winona LaDuke, Joy Harjo, and Ada Deer.
The Hall also recognizes lesser-known figures: educators and activists such as Sarah Winnemucca, Kateri Tekakwitha, Ella Cara Deloria, Vine Deloria Sr., Will Rogers, and regional leaders from nations like the Muscogee (Creek) Nation, Pawnee Nation, Delaware Nation, Chickasaw Nation, and Yakama Nation.
Collections combine material culture—regalia, beadwork, quillwork, and baskets—with archival documents, photographs, recorded oral histories, and multimedia installations highlighting creators such as Rufus Porter and Dayton Duncan. Loans and collaborations draw on holdings from the National Museum of the American Indian, tribal historic preservation offices, the Peabody Museum, and university archives at institutions like the University of Michigan and the American Philosophical Society.
Permanent exhibits present thematic galleries on leadership, resistance, arts, and innovation, referencing artifacts associated with figures such as Sequoyah and Black Elk, while rotating exhibitions profile contemporary artists and scholars including Nicholas Galanin, T.C. Cannon, Jaune Quick-to-See Smith, and James Luna.
The Hall hosts annual induction ceremonies, educational workshops for youth in partnership with organizations such as the Boy Scouts of America and tribal education departments, lecture series featuring historians like Philip J. Deloria and Theda Perdue, film screenings curated with the National Film Registry, and cultural demonstrations led by elders from nations including the Hopi and Zuni. Programs include language camps, craft residencies with artists like Blackbear Bosin, and symposiums convening representatives from the National Congress of American Indians and the Inter-Tribal Council.
Governance structures involve boards and advisory councils composed of tribal leaders, museum professionals, and scholars including members from the Cherokee Nation, Navajo Nation, Iroquois Confederacy, and tribal advocacy groups such as the Native American Rights Fund. Funding sources encompass private philanthropy, tribal contributions from nations like the Choctaw Nation of Oklahoma and the Seminole Tribe of Florida, grants administered by the National Endowment for the Humanities and the National Endowment for the Arts, and institutional support from the Smithsonian Institution and partner universities.
Category:Native American museums in the United States