Online Resources for Native American History

Now that you’ve finished up your turkey feast, and the football game is wrapped up, you might want to take some time to explore the amazing and complex American history that helped make our country so great. Maybe you’ve seen picture books like Arrow to the Sun by Gerald McDermott, and you’re interested in learning more about Pueblo Indians and their fascinating folklore. Or you’ve read Gerald’s other popular book, Raven: A Trickster Tale from the Pacific Northwest, and you want to see more Totemic art.

Whatever you’re interested in learning about, the Library has hundreds of resources about Native American art, history, music, and folklore that will inspire conversation and get you thinking! Here are a few:

• American Music – Native Americans were the first Americans, and their music is one of the coolest ways to experience some of that history. On the site, you can explore folk dance and traditional music from tribes such as the Cherokee. You can listen to social and ceremonial dance songs, as well as war or story songs.  
• U.S. History – This online resource covers the full scope of American history. It’s great for anyone who loves history. You can learn more about the Navajo tribe, Native Americans in the military, and even the real-life Pocahontas!
• Online Children’s Books – For books to read with your kiddos, you can check out TumbleBooks or BookFlix. They are both great resources for nonfiction and fiction books. Learn about all the amazing things that the Inuit invented or watch a Native American Good Morning message.
• American Indian Movement and Native American Radicalism – This resource is great for folks who already have some background or historical knowledge and want to dive in a little deeper or even explore controversial topics. Here you can find documentation of protests and civil discord between Native Americans and government officials. Sometimes radical, always fascinating, and an important part of history.
• Colonial State Papers – Want to start your American history lesson at the beginning? This resource provides historical documents about the first interactions between settlers and local Native peoples. It provides excellent insight and information into their complex relationships, friendships, and struggles.
• American Indian Correspondence – This is a fascinating collection of letters between early missionaries and Native Americans. These letters include discussion of the struggles missionaries faced, their loneliness, and their relationship with local Native Americans in their quest to bring Christianity. They make for an interesting read.

Meghan B.
Electronic Resources Librarian