Native American Law Students Association
The Native American Law Students Association (NALSA) is dedicated to creating a forum for all students interested in Indigenous law. Members participate in the National Native American Moot Court Competition in February and travel to New Mexico for the Federal Indian Bar Conference in April. The group is also active in researching issues that impact American Indian populations.
Contact: student-bar@utulsa.edu
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 and Alaska Native communities and ensure their rich histories and contributions continue to thrive with each passing generation. This November and every month, we celebrate the culture and heritage of these remarkable Americans who deeply enrich the quality and character of our Nation. We celebrate Indian Country with its remarkable diversity of American Indian and Alaska Native cultures and peoples while remembering and honoring our veterans who have sacrificed so much to defend our Nation.
In 1976, the United States bicentennial year, Congress passed a resolution authorizing President Ford to proclaim a week in October as "Native American Awareness Week." On October 8, 1976, he issued his presidential proclamation doing so. Since then, Congress and the President have observed a day, a week, or a month in honor of the American Indian and Alaska Native people. While the proclamations do not set a national theme for the observance, they allow each federal department and agency to develop ways of celebrating and honoring the Nation's Native American heritage.
The quest for a national honoring of Native Americans began in the early 20th Century as a private effort. As far back as the late 1970s, Congress has enacted legislation, and subsequent presidents have issued annual proclamations designating a day, a week, or a month to celebrate and commemorate the Nation's American Indian and Alaska Native heritage. In 2009, Congress passed, and the President signed legislation establishing the Friday following Thanksgiving Day of each year as "Native American Heritage Day."
Source: Bureau of Indian Affairs
Our theme is Weaving together our past, present and future. We will focus on the failed policies of the past with a focus on the Federal Indian Boarding Schools and moving into the present and the work being done to address the intergenerational trauma Native people still face. In partnership with the National Endowment for the Humanities and the Smithsonian Institution, we are working to record the lasting impacts of that era and share that information with all Americans.
As Indigenous people, our past, present and future are all connected.
Source: US Indian Affairs
Due to the current government shutdown, the 2025 theme and promotional materials have not been released. This will be updated with the new theme when it comes available.
TCCL Celebrates: Native American Heritage Month
Facts for Features: National Native American Heritage Month
This Facts for Features presents statistics about the American Indian and Alaska Native population, one of the six major race categories defined by the U.S. Office of Management and Budget. The following facts are possible thanks to responses to the U.S. Census Bureau’s surveys. We appreciate the public’s cooperation as we continuously measure America’s people, places and economy.
First Nations Development Institute
