American Indian/Alaska Native Emphasis Program

New Jersey’s NRCS Program Manager: ShayMaria Silvestri

November is American Indian Heritage Month

American Indian and Alaska Native Heritage Month originated in 1915 when the president of the Congress of American Indian Associations issued a proclamation declaring the second Saturday in May of each year as American Indian Day. The first American Indian Day was celebrated in May 1916 in New York. In 1990, President George H.W. Bush signed a joint congressional resolution designating November 1990 as “National American Indian Heritage Month.” Similar proclamations have been issued every year since 1994.

"The American Indian and Alaska Native population rose by 1 percent or 45,000, from 2005 to 2006.

California had the largest population of American Indians and Alaska Natives (689,000) on July 1, 2006, with Oklahoma (397,000) and Arizona (331,000) next. Arizona had the largest numerical increase (8,000) since July 1, 2005, followed by Texas (7,000) and Florida (4,000). In Alaska, American Indians and Alaska Natives made up the highest proportion of the total population (18 percent), with Oklahoma and New Mexico, at 11 percent each, next.

The American Indian and Alaska Native population in 2006 was younger, with a median age of 31, compared with the population as a whole at 36.4. About 28 percent of the American Indian and Alaska Native population was younger than 18, compared with 25 percent of the total population. " ( Census Bureau website  May 2007)

The American Indian and Alaskan Native Emphasis Program Manager deals with a different set of criteria than other special emphasis programs. The 1964 Civil Rights Act does not apply to American Indians and Alaskan Natives. In order to be considered American Indian 1/32 of your ancestry must be Native American or Alaskan Native.

The program seeks to:

• Support the unique role of American Indians and Alaskan Natives within the Federal Government system.
• Recruit potential American Indian/Alaskan Native employees.
• Develop mentoring processes among American Indian/Alaskan Native employees.
• Build coalitions with appropriate advocacy groups.

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2007 American Indian / Alaska Native Heritage Month Poster for NRCS (shown at upper right) (102 kb)

Resources and Links

• American Indian/Alaska Native Employees Association for NRCS
• American Indian History and Related Issues
• American Indian Science and Engineering Society (AISES)
• THE AMERICAN INDIAN PROGRAM COUNCIL
• Bureau of Indian Affairs
• Delaware (Lenape) Tribe of Indians
  •    Common Words and Phrases of Lenape
• Intertribal POWWOW
• The Nanticoke Lenni-Lenape Indians Of New Jersey
• The National Congress of American Indians
• Native American Resources
• Native Web
• American Indian/Alaska Native Emphasis Program 
• Office of the Special Trustee for American Indians
• SAIGE - Society for American Indian Government Employees
• Standing Bear's Web Page (A Member of the Nanticoke Lenni Lenape Tribe of New Jersey)
• Tribes

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Last Modified: June 04, 2008