Why minor in Native American Studies?
Get involved.
- WVU Libraries Native American Studies Research Guide
- United South and Eastern Tribes "Indian Country 101" reference information
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Fort Necessity National Battlefield
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Meadowcroft Rock Shelter
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Grave Creek Mound Archaeological Complex, West Virginia Division of Culture
and History
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Alcoa Hall of American Indians, Carnegie Museum
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Ohio State University Newark Earthworks Center
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Newark, Ohio Ancient Earthworks
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Ohio Serpent Mound
- Council of three Rivers American Indian Center – West Virginia office
- Native American and Indigenous Studies Association
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American Indian Studies Association
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Native American Rights Fund
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NCAI, National Congress of American Indians
- Indian Land Tenure Foundation (ILTF)
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Harvard Honoring Nations Program, Kennedy School of Economics
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nativephilanthropy.candid.org/timeline.
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Bureau of Indian Affairs
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National Museum of the American Indian
- Teaching for Change: Building Social Justice Starting in the Classroom
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The American Indian and Alaska Native Population: U.S. Census data
- Indian Country Today Media Network
- Native News Online
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The Indigenous Language Institute
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Association of Tribal Archives, Libraries, Museums
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U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service Native American Liaison
- Powwows.com
The Medicine Wheel
The iconic NAS medicine wheel was designed by the late WVU Art Professor Emeritus Urban Couch, a longstanding member of the NAS Committee.
The four points of the medicine wheel represent the cardinal directions and the four Great Powers of the wheel; the wheel represents universal harmony.
Professor Couch, former Chair of WVU’s Division of Art, was an award-winning visual artist, curator, and educator whose work is included in collections the the Art Museum of WVU and the Minneapolis Institute of Art, etc.
STATEMENT Reasserting our NAS Program's Commitment to Confront and Condemn Racism
We who serve on the Native American Studies Program Committee declare our solidarity with our Black, Indigenous, and People of Color (BIPOC) community members seeking justice. Our country is reckoning with racism, police brutality, and other societal factors that make BIPOC disproportionately vulnerable to violence, racial profiling, and discriminatory treatment.
Through education we seek to help eradicate racism—in its myriad forms—with a particular, though not exclusive, focus on justice for Native Americans, advocating for human and civil rights, safety and well-being. We are guided in our mission by the words of Rev. Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr.: “Injustice anywhere is a threat to justice everywhere. We are caught in an inescapable network of mutuality, tied in a single garment of destiny. Whatever affects one directly, affects all indirectly." [2]
(statement adopted summer, 2020) [1] https://www.latimes.com/world-nation/story/2020-05-29/chauvin-shootings-complaints-minneapolis-floyd ; https://www.washingtonpost.com/nation/2020/05/29/officer-charged-george-floyds-death-used-fatal-force-before-had-history-complaints/ , et al
[2] From Dr. King’s “Letter from a Birmingham Jail,” penned April 16, 1963 while in solitary confinement after his arrest for defying an Alabama injunction prohibiting demonstrations in Birmingham. http://okra.stanford.edu/transcription/document_images/undecided/630416-019.pdf
Click here for information on the local mascot discussion & read the official statements on "Indian" sports mascots from the MOHEGAN TRIBE & STOCKBRIDGE MUNSEE MOHICAN TRIBE (or scroll to the bottom of this column)
Expert input on the psychological impact of "Indian" mascots from a respected Indigenous scholar:
2020 Native Mascots Fact Sheet, from Illumi Native*, Crystal Echohawk (Pawnee), Founder https://illuminatives.org/wp-content/uploads/2018/04/2020-Native-Mascots-Fact-Sheet.pdf
“More Than A Word,” (A film focused on the history of the “R_dsk_ns” team and opposition to the mascot), free to view online through July 2020:
“The Time is Now: National Native Town Hall on Mascots, Native Rights, and Justice,” video archive from Facebook live stream (might take a minute or two to load), July 10, 2020, specifically, panelists focus on the mascot issue from 20:00 – 51:00, but the whole Town Hall is excellent): https://www.facebook.com/watch/live/?v=288093682294105&ref=watch_permalink&fbclid=IwAR0ySf77yZsNDSH6livALAC-srraA2RPpe8lPRjHmAIHkeXrK-XSvO4xK6g
Topic-relevant Programs aired on “Native American Calling,” live call-in radio/internet program, carried on 70 public, community, and tribal radio stations in the U.S. and Canada, produced by Native-Operated Koahnic Broadcast Corp., Anchorage, AK:
https://www.nativeamericacalling.com/?s=mascot
“Mascots, Myths, Monuments, and Memory,” One segment of a 13-video archived symposium from the National Museum of the American Indian, held in collaboration with the National Museum of African American History and Culture, March 2018: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=BLS9-tn_Tps
“Racist Stereotypes and Cultural Appropriation in American Sports” National Museum of the American Indian, February 2013.
PART 1: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=_gd0QmJDhcQ
PART 2: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=SelJGI9na7Y
“My Culture is Not a Costume [“we must move beyond the headdress symbol”…“’squaw’ is a word meaning vagina”],” Jayden Lim (Pomo), Tribal Youth Ambassador, California Indian Museum & Cultural Center: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=TOHWpH792dg
Olympic gold medalist Billy Mills (Lakota) commentary on mascot names: https://globalsportmatters.com/culture/2018/11/21/olympic-legend-billy-mills-says-no-justification-for-washingtons-nfl-nickname/?fbclid=IwAR1jThL61vi7um0e4EjM4XvaVMW0ofq5p7IrywodxfBFs8TeIUEN1vVu55Q
Additional SCHOLARLY RESEARCH Showing Support for Eliminating “Indian” Mascots:
"Of Warrior Chiefs and Indian Princesses: The Psychological Consequences of American Indian Mascots" by Dr. Stephanie Fryberg: http://www.indianmascots.com/fryberg--web-psychological_.pdf
"The Harmful Psychological Effects of the Washington Football Mascot" by Dr. Michael A. Friedman (incl. extensive bibliography) https://www.changethemascot.org/wp- content/uploads/2013/10/DrFriedmanReport.pdf
"Symbols of pride or prejudice? Examining the impact of Native American sports amscots on stereotype application," by Melissa Berkley, et al. and related articles
https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/27383071/
American Psychological Assoc. Statement:
https://www.apa.org/pi/oema/resources/indian-mascots
APA Resolution with Extensive Bibliography: https://www.apa.org/about/policy/mascots.pdf
United South & Eastern Tribes (USET) resolution: https://www.changethemascot.org/wp-content/uploads/2013/11/2014-015-Washington-mascot.pdf
Native Women Speak out on use of "Indian" Mascots as Connected to Issues of health, safety, equity, youth self-esteem & suicide: https://www.washingtonpost.com/blogs/she-the-people/wp/2014/04/01/why-native-american-women-have-been-leaders-in-the-fight-against-team-mascots/
“In Whose Honor?” An older film from 1997, but quite powerful in its overall message, centering around the activist story of University of Illinois graduate student Charlene Teters (Spokane) and the efforts leading up to the successful removal of the fictitious “Chief Illiniwek” mascot character at the University of Illinois: https://www.filmsforaction.org/watch/in-whose-honor-american-indian-mascots-in-sports/
*Reclaiming Native Truth: A Project to Dispel America’s Myths and Misconceptions: https://rnt.firstnations.org/?gclid=CjwKCAjwr7X4BRA4EiwAUXjbt7qE_WovF6PKSVHo2QctsHCbEuoIJFQ9yU6jDQ8-knCsrkYepb-3mhoCWZsQAvD_BwE
--AND--
Reclaiming Native Truth: Changing the Narrative About Native Americans, a guide for allies (see in particular, pg. 18, re: the results of information and education in attitude formation):
https://rnt.firstnations.org/wp-content/uploads/2018/06/MessageGuide-Allies-screen.pdf
U.S. Commission on Civil Rights Statement on Native American Images and Nicknames as Sports Symbols:
https://www.usccr.gov/press/archives/2001/041601st.htm
Native People Speak out About Native Mascots: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=xRribtqdXGw
The National Congress of American Indians (NCAI): http://www.ncai.org/ and...
NCAI video, “Proud to Be” : https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=mR-tbOxlhvE
#Proud to Be (not your mascot): https://www.changethemascot.org/proud-to-be/
The Native American Rights Fund: https://www.narf.org/mascots-change-the-name/
The Native American and Indigenous Studies Association: https://www.naisa.org/
National Indian Education Association: https://www.niea.org/search?q=mascots
from the NCAA's Champion Magazine, "Where Pride Meets Prejudice"
Native American Journalists Association https://najanewsroom.com/end-racist-mascots/
Extensive list of tribal resolutions and organizations' statements opposing "Indian" mascots: https://www.changethemascot.org/wp-content/uploads/2014/09/Native-Nations-Unite-to-Speak-Out-Against-Racially-Offensive-Mascot-Name.pdf
American Indian College Fund Solidarity Statement by AICF President & CEO Cheryl Crazy Bull (Sicangu Lakota): https://collegefund.org/blog/presidents-blog/statement-on-race-from-the-american-indian-college-fund/
https://collegefund.org/blog/inside-the-college-fund/re-name-mascots-to-end-harmful-stereotypes/
University of Michigan Martin Luther King symposium speaker, Charlene Teters (Spokane
Tribe), on why "Indian" sports mascots should be eliminated:
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=W53fnenKX4g
Global Sport Matters article with Dr. James Riding In (Pawnee), ASU Professor and editor editor of Wicazo Sa Review: A Journal of Native American Studies
American Indian Movement (AIM) -- National Coalition on Racism in Sorts and Media: http://www.aimovement.org/ncrsm/
National Coalition Against Racism in Sports & Media: https://www.coalitionagainstracism.org/
(GENERAL)
“A Conversation with Native Americans on Race” YouTube video:
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=siMal6QVblE
American Indian curriculum resources for teachers: https://americanindian.si.edu/nk360/understandings.cshtml
National Indian Youth Council Lessons: "Stereotypes, Prejudice & Discrimination:
Native American Mascot Controversies & Sociological Perspectives"
https://study.com/academy/lesson/native-american-mascot-controversies-sociological-perspectives.html
Regarding the MORGANTOWN HIGH SCHOOL MASCOT ISSUE: Statements from Stockbridge-Munsee Community, Band of Mohican Indians (in Wisconsin) and Mohegan Tribe (in Connecticut) opposing "Indian" sports mascots...
Check out our Fall '23 class: SOVEREIGN TRIBAL NATIONS
***SAVE THE DATE: FALL 2023***
This Land Was Already Loved:
Native Leaders discuss their Nations' Connection to Place
a West Virginia University Native American Studies Forum
Everyone Welcome! Location:
WVU PEACE TREE
INDIGENOUS APPALACHIA
Fall 2022-Spring 2023
Three-Term
U.S. POET LAUREATE
JOY HARJO
Muscogee (Creek) Nation,
Spring 2022 NAS Guest of Honor
Ms. Harjo shared her poetry with an audience of more than 500 on Tues., April 5th.
Music was provided by award-winning flute player Cody Blackbird.
Read about Ms. Harjo’s role as a third term as Poet Laureate
MANY THANKS to our 2021 Native American Heritage Month Guest of Honor:
MERVYN TANO
President, International Institute for Indigenous Resource Management (a law & policy research institution) and adjunct faculty, Haskell Indian Nations University. Mr. Tano has decades of experience working with Indian tribes and organizations and has written and taught extensively on Indigenous peoples’ law and policy issues related to climate, risk, cultural resources, heritage management, environmental justice, food and agriculture, and science and technology policy.
1. Dealing with Climate Change: Everything is Connected, Tribal Approaches to Adaption:
Zoom presentation: https://westvirginiauniversity-my.sharepoint.com/:f:/g/personal/kav0008_mail_wvu_edu/Eqk78OyIQhBNjdtL4ZD7784BVGTh-VH86bR3G-GxjPlIFQ?e=J5HgiZ Password: Climate2021
2. Reclaiming Our Spaces: Indigenizing the Museum of the Future:
Zoom Presentation: https://westvirginiauniversity-my.sharepoint.com/:f:/g/personal/kav0008_mail_wvu_edu/EqTDdJc7KQFDurWj_caUi0kBWvep8trTEUNmGO1sHYmk7Q?e=wlu2Rm Password: Spaces2021
3. Boundary Organization: Universities, Indigenous Organizations, & Native Scientists as Nation Builders:
Zoom Presentation: https://westvirginiauniversity-my.sharepoint.com/:f:/g/personal/kav0008_mail_wvu_edu/EvyRIu3_00ZHpE55p86CgKEByZWYoAGOEHo9Z4CymATN4Q?e=xkNgo6 Password: Boundary2021
Mr. Tano’s presentations were made possible by NAS with support from WVU’s Division of Diversity, Equity & Inclusion and the Eberly College of Arts & Sciences’ Department of Public Administration, Leadership Studies Program, Public History Program, and Department of Geology & Geography
Indigenous Land
Acknowledgement
WVU, with its statewide institutional presence, resides on land that includes ancestral territories of the Shawnee, Lenape (Delaware), Haudenosaunee (Seneca, Cayuga, Onondaga, Oneida, Mohawk, Tuscarora), Cherokee, and other Indigenous peoples.
In acknowledging this, we recognize and appreciate those Indigenous nations whose territories we are living on and working in. Indigenous peoples have been in the land currently known as West Virginia since time immemorial. It is important that we understand both the context that has brought our university community to reside on this land, and our place within this long history.
We also recognize that colonialism is a current ongoing process, and as scholars seeking truth and understanding, we need to be mindful of our present participation in this process.
2020 Native American
Heritage Month Events:
1) VIEW FILM "100 Years: One Woman's Fight for Justice" before attending the film discussion at 5:30pm on 11/19/20:
AT https://wvu.kanopy.com/video/100-years-one-womans-fight-justice
OR https://www.pbssocal.org/programs/america-reframed/100-years-one-womans-fight-for-justice-kdhimq/
2) REGISTER in advance for the 11/19/20 5:30pm FILM DISCUSSION of "100 Years" (Zoom link and password will be emailed to you):
The "RUMBLE" music event took place on 11/15/2020.
The AMA' film screening & discussion took place on 11/16/2020.
The "Thunderstruck" art took place on 11/18/2020. For more background on artist Urban Couch, see this article from the Spring-Summer 2002 NAS Newsletter:
WVU PEACE TREE CEREMONY. 11/7/2020:
2019 Peace Tree Lecture in 4 Parts:(archived videos)
2019 Peace Tree Ceremony Presentation (archived video)
