November Monthly Themes

What is servicewide messaging?

The servicewide messaging calendar helps our entire National Park Service community nationwide—parks, partners, and programs—share the same messages throughout the year amplifying our voice. Everyone is welcome to participate and join the celebrations, commemorations, and discussions. These pages are updated throughout the year, so remember to check back for more guidance, ideas, and resources!

November 2022 Monthly Theme: Native American Heritage Month

For Native American Heritage Month, we will explore the heritage, culture, and experience of Indigenous peoples both historically and in American life today.

America is a vast land of many cultures dating back thousands of years to the original inhabitants of the land. Today, programs, partnerships, and parks preserve and share the stories and heritage of Indigenous people. National Native American Heritage Month is celebrated each year in November. It is a time to celebrate the traditions, languages, and stories of Native American, Alaska Native, Native Hawaiian, and Island communities and ensure their rich histories and contributions continue to thrive with each passing generation. It is also a time to evaluate our pledge to maintain the meaningful partnerships we have with Tribal Nations, and renew our commitment to our nation-to-nation relationships as we seek to ensure every community has a future they deserve.

Here are a few suggestions that can be used for websites, social media, or programs:

• Share the connections your park or program has with Native American, Alaska Native, Native Hawaiian, and Island communities' heritage, history, and their way of life.

• If you have an ongoing relationship with Tribes at your park, highlight that story/partnership/work ongoing together.

• Consider connecting this theme with other events in November, including Veterans Day. Did you know that Native Americans serve in the United States’ Armed forces at five times the national average?

• Use objects or artifacts in your museum collection or achievements by Indigenous individuals to share history and heritage of native peoples past and present.

• Highlight the work that staff do to tell the story and experience of Native American, Alaska Native, Native Hawaiian, and Island communities heritage or ask staff to share how these histories and the present-day way of life has inspired their work with your park/program.

• Share programs and projects such as youth grants, conservation projects, and other activities that preserve, share, and advance Native American, Alaska Native, Native Hawaiian, and Island communities' heritage and culture with the public and/or staff.

• Create, develop, and share educational activities and youth programs related to Native Americans, Alaska Natives, Native Hawaiians, and Island communities both past and present. They are contemporary and ‘living’ cultures and that should be conveyed to the staff and to the public.

• Use videography, photography, storytelling, and social media to share the projects that partners do in preserving and sharing American Indian, Alaska Native, and Native Hawaiian heritage, including through grants and youth programs. (Parks can share this content in NPS.gov articles and tag them “partnerships” to get them to show up on the Partnerships News & Stories page.)

Social Media

The hashtags #IndigenousHeritage, #NPSIndigenous, and #NativeAmericanHeritageMonth can be used for posts related to this month's theme, including when using the ideas listed above. National Park Service national, park, and program social media channels will be sharing content using this hashtag throughout the month that can be shared.

Resources on NPS.gov and Other Websites

Looking for more information or something ready-made to share for this month's theme? Here are a few places to find information and resources or link to:

• Native American Heritage Month
• American Indian Heritage
• Indigenous Heritage

More November Themes & Activities

Every month, the National Park Service celebrates different national holidays and initiatives that provide opportunities to share our mission through websites, social media, and other platforms. Find information on a related topic on NPS.gov, hashtags that national parks are using, and other messaging tools to use on these special days.

Fall Foliage

• Leaf Peeping (NPS.gov tag: fall foliage)
• Fall Season (NPS.gov tag: fall season, autumn)
• Social media hashtag: #FallColors

November 1–30: Native American Heritage Month

• Native American Heritage Month
• Indigenous Heritage
• American Indian Heritage
• Social media hashtags: #IndigenousHeritage, #NativeAmericanHeritage

November 5: National Bison Day

• Bison

November 11: Veterans Day

• Veterans Day
• American Military
• Social media hashtags:#VeteransDay, #MilitaryHeritage

November 15: America Recycles Day

• Sustainability

November 14-18: American Education Week

• Educators Portal

November 17: National Take a Hike Day

• National Trails System
• Trails & Hiking
• Social media hashtag: #TakeAHike

November 24: Thanksgiving

• Winter Festivities
• Social media hashtag: #GiveThanks
• NOTE: Native Americans, Alaska Natives, and Native Hawaiians may recognize Thanksgiving differently; see “Do American Indians Celebrate Thanksgiving” by Dennis W. Zotigh (Kiowa/San Juan Pueblo/Santee Dakota Indian), a writer and cultural specialist at the Smithsonian National Museum of the American Indian in Washington, DC.

November 25: #GreenFriday

• Join us as we turn Black Friday green and issue an invitation for getting outside the day after Thanksgiving.
• Green Friday

November 29: Giving Tuesday

• Partnerships