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“Native languages in ‘a state of emergency’”

( – promoted by navajo) Native voices heard at national language summit By Rob Capriccioso Cultural Survival Quarterly recently reported that “unless dramatic action is taken now, more than 70 Native American languages will become extinct within the next 10 years.” The publication helped sponsor the summit, citing its concern about the situation. I ended … Continued

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Handsome Lake, Founder of the Longhouse Religion

( – promoted by navajo) In 1799, a new religious movement was born among the Seneca Nation of the Iroquois Confederacy. The new religious movement, considered to be a traditional Iroquois religion today, began with a series of visions received by Handsome Lake. Among this vision was the prophecy that the world would end in … Continued

Handsome Lake, Founder of the Longhouse Religion

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World War II & American Indians: The Home Front

( – promoted by navajo) World War II brought many changes to Indian reservations and to American Indians on the home front. These changes began during the war, and then continued following the war. It should be noted that an American Indian reservation was attacked during the war. In 1945, a Japanese bomb carried by … Continued

World War II & American Indians

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World War II & American Indians: Serving in the Military

A high percentage of American Indian men served in the military during World War II. During the war, nearly 25,000 American Indians served in the military and received the following awards: Air Medal (71), Silver Star (51), Bronze Star (47), Distinguished Flying Cross (34), and Congressional Medal of Honor (2). More than 480 Indians were … Continued

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World War II & American Indians: The Draft

( – promoted by navajo) In World War I, American Indians had to register for the draft even though they were not eligible to be drafted since they were not citizens. By the beginnings of World War II, however, American Indians had had citizenship conferred on them twice by Congress: once in 1924 and again … Continued

World War II

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Long Hair

( – promoted by navajo) One of the issues that many Native American men and boys have faced concerns long hair. For them long hair is not a stylistic concern, but is a religious issue. For many Native Americans having long hair is a symbol of tribal religious traditions which teach that hair is only … Continued

American law

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American Indian Biography: James Welch

( – promoted by navajo) In 1966, Richard Hugo was teaching a poetry class at the University of Montana. One of his students was James Welch who had been born on the Blackfeet Reservation and raised on the Fort Belknap Reservation. Hugo realized that Welch knew nothing of poetry, but he encouraged him to write … Continued

James Welch

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Ancient America: The Aztec

( – promoted by navajo) When the Spanish began their conquest of Mexico in 1519 they encountered a powerful nation known as the Aztec. The Aztec called themselves Mexica and from this the name Mexico is derived. According to oral tradition, the Aztec originated in a land known as Aztlan. Some experts feel that Aztlan … Continued

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American Indian Biography: D’Arcy McNickle

( – promoted by navajo) For many people in the academic world, one of the major foundations of Native American literature was laid with the publication of The Surrounded in 1936. This novel, written by D’Arcy McNickle, was not the first novel written by an Indian nor was it particularly successful at the time. The … Continued

D’Arcy McNickle

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American Indian Women: The Leaders

( – promoted by navajo) The United States government and American historians have been as reluctant to acknowledge women leaders among Indian nations as they have been acknowledging women warriors. The fact is that many Indian nations have had women leaders. In the many treaty councils which the United States held with the Indian nations, … Continued

American Indian Women: The Leaders