November is Native American Heritage Month, an opportunity to highlight and uplift the voices, stories and cultures of Indigenous people at the George Washington University and throughout the United States.
“As we celebrate Native American Heritage Month this November, I am reminded of the history, pride and leadership of our Native and Indigenous GW community,” President Ellen M. Granberg said. “From the remarkable achievements of GW graduates like Senator Willie Iġġiaġruk Hensley, B.A. ’66, Hon. ’26, whose advocacy transformed the rights of Alaska Native peoples, to our current students, faculty and staff, this community models advocacy and the GW values of leadership, diversity and inclusion. This month, please join me in reaffirming our shared commitment to amplifying Native and Indigenous voices and the history that helps define our community.”
The Washington, D.C., area is the ancestral home of more than a dozen Indigenous peoples, including the Nanticoke, Nanticoke Lenape, Mattaponi, Monacan, Piscataway Conoy, Pamunkey and Rappahannock.
At GW, Students for Indigenous and Native American Rights (SINAR) is organizing a series of events on campus around the theme "Stories of Our Past, Letters to Our Future: Indigenous Identity and Culture Across Generations."
“Celebrating Native American Heritage Month is an opportunity to recognize the histories, cultures and continued contributions of Indigenous peoples while acknowledging that our communities and sovereignty have always existed beyond a single month of recognition,” said SINAR President Jacob Brittingham, a senior political science and human services and social justice major in the Columbian College of Arts and Sciences. “At GW, SINAR is committed to creating brave spaces where Native students can connect with one another, celebrate our identities and ensure that Indigenous voices and perspectives are visible across campus. As we honor those who came before us, we also carry the responsibility of building a stronger foundation for the generations who will come after us.”
Below, a partial list of events on campus and around D.C. Follow SINAR on social media for updates.
Ongoing through February 2027 Cannupa Hanska Luger’s REFLECT
Flagg Building, North Atrium
500 17th St. NW
Ongoing through Dec. 5 A Gift in Motion
Flagg Building, second floor galleries
Nov. 2 at 4 p.m. Film Screening: Amá
Innovation Hall, 105
Virginia Science and Technology Campus
45085 University Drive, Ashburn, Va.
Nov. 3 at 2:30 p.m. Native American Heritage Month Bake Sale
University Student Center, first floor
800 21st St. NW
Nov. 7 at 10:30 a.m. Service and Sacrifice: Veterans Day 2026
National Museum of the American Indian
Fourth St. and Independence Ave. SW
Nov. 7 at noon Bison Bead Workshop with Cannupa Hanska Luger
Education Studio and Cascade Café, National Gallery of Art
599 Constitution Ave. NW
Nov. 7 at noon Online Native Knowledge 360° Teach-In: Cultural Sovereignty on the 250th
Online
$15, registration required
Nov. 10 at 6:30 p.m. Arts and Crafts Night
Multicultural Student Services Center (MSSC)
USC, fifth floor
Nov. 12 at 6 p.m. NAHM Movie Night
MSSC
Nov. 13 to Nov. 27 Native American Cinema Showcase 2026
Online
Nov. 14 at 10:30 a.m. Always Becoming: Next Chapter
National Museum of the American Indian
Nov. 17 at 6:30 p.m. History of Lacrosse
USC 404
Nov. 21 at 1 p.m. A Bison Celebration
National Museum of the American Indian
Nov. 27 at 11:30 a.m. Native American Heritage Day
National Museum of the American Indian