The deadline for submitting comments on the Traditional Cultural Property NPS Bulletin is April 30. Learn more and submit comments. 

In 2021 the United States Department of the Interior swore in Deb Haaland as the first Native American to serve as a Cabinet Secretary. A member of the Pueblo of Laguna and a 35th-generation New Mexican, Secretary Haaland has already been, through her leadership, a force for good in the protection of Native American land and rights. One of her key priorities as Secretary of the Interior is “Strengthening Indian Country,” which includes a comprehensive review of the “troubled legacy of federal boarding schools.”

As preservationists, it is important to recognize the long heritage and lived experience of Native Americans. From working to protect sacred lands, to recognizing the value of intangible heritage, there are a variety of different ways in which the work of preservation can support efforts to protect Native culture and heritage.

In the other resource lists—for Latinx, LGBTQ, APIA, and Black Histories—I have put together I emphasize the need to approach the history of these communities with humility, recognizing that if we are not of the community that we have much to learn. The same is the case with Native communities. While we often talk about Native American Heritage collectively, that heritage is comprised of many different histories and traditions and it is important to consider that in your preservation work.

In that spirit, the list below is not comprehensive. Rather it is a list of places to look to for information, guidance, and more.

This list was produced in consultation with the National Association of Tribal Historic Preservation Officers. 

Organizations

• National Association of Tribal Historic Preservation Officers (NATHPO)
• National Museum of the American Indian (NMAI)
• Native Arts & Cultures Foundation (NACF)
• National Congress of American Indians (NCAI)
• Native American Rights Fund (NARF)
• Bureau of Indian Affairs (BIA) Tribal Leaders Directory

Context Statements

• Minneapolis Native American Context Statement
• Native Americans and the California Mission System (In Progress)

Additional Resources

• NATHPO NAGPRA Advocacy
• NATHPO Best Practices in Historic Preservation
• Native Knowledge 360 Education Initiative (NMAI)
• Digi Treaties (Read the SavingPlaces.org story or watch the PastForward Online 2021 Session)
• National Park Service Indigenous history theme studies
• Traditional Cultural Properties Bulletin 38
• BOEM Guidance Document on Characterizing Tribal Cultural Landscapes
• NOAA’s Tribal Cultural Landscapes
• Preserving Native American Places
• Advisory Council on Historic Preservation Native American Policies
• Practice Note on Tribal Cultural Heritage Laws (Cultural Heritage Partners)

Select Resources and Stories from the National Trust

• From PastForward Online 2022 (Registration to the conference required to view these sessions)
  • The Power of Place: Traditional Cultural Places in the 21st Century (November 2, 2022, 3 p.m.)
  •  Supporting Descendants Who are Saving Their Historic Places (November 3, 2022, 2 p.m.)
  • Ah-Tah-Thi-Ki Museum: A Discussion with the Seminole Tribe (November 3, 2022, 4 p.m.)
• People Saving Places: Corrina Gould and the Protection of the West Berkeley Shellmound
• Rassawek and the Monacan Indian Nation’s Fight to Protect its Historic Capital
• Place: Bears Ears and Ancestral Places of Southeast Utah
• Place: Ocmulgee National Monument
• Place: Acoma Sky City (A National Trust Historic Site)

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