July 7, 1912: Jim Thorpe Wins Olympic Gold for U.S.
Jim Thorpe was the first Native American to win Olympic gold for team U.S.A.
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Theme: Native American
Below are lessons, books, films, and more on Indigenous history. We also recommend checking out the Abolish Columbus Day campaign and the list of books for pre-K – 12 recommended by American Indians in Children’s Literature, posted at Social Justice Books.
Nov. 9, 1912: Carlisle Indian School Beats the West Point Football Team
The undefeated Carlisle Indian School football team faced off against the Army football team at the West Point Academy campus in front of a crowd of 3,000 people. The Carlisle team defeated Army 27–6 in this game.
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By the Fire We Carry: The Generations-Long Fight for Justice on Native Land
Book — Non-fiction. By Rebecca Nagle. 2024. 352 pages.
The generations-long fight for tribal land and sovereignty in eastern Oklahoma is told through a contemporary legal battle and historic acts of Indigenous resistance.
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The generations-long fight for tribal land and sovereignty in eastern Oklahoma is told through a contemporary legal battle and historic acts of Indigenous resistance.
July 9, 2020: Supreme Court Affirms Native Treaty Rights and Sovereignty
In a landmark decision, the Supreme Court ruled that the state did not have jurisdiction over crimes committed on Native reservations, affirming Indigenous treaty rights and sovereignty.
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We Are Still Here!: Native American Truths Everyone Should Know
Picture book. By Traci Sorell, and illustrated by Frane Lessac. 2021. 40 pages.
Twelve Native American kids present historical and contemporary laws, policies, struggles, and victories in Native life.
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Twelve Native American kids present historical and contemporary laws, policies, struggles, and victories in Native life.
Feb. 6, 1976: AIM Organizer Leonard Peltier Captured
American Indian Movement (AIM) organizer Leonard Peltier was arrested in 1976 for a crime he says he did not commit. He remained imprisoned for nearly 50 years in spite of international campaigns and calls for his release. Outgoing President Biden finally commuted Peltier's sentence in January 2025.
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May 5, 2010: Red Dress Day Honoring Missing and Murdered Indigenous Women
A national day of awareness for Missing and Murdered Indigenous Women and Girls and 2SLGBTQI+ people (MMIWG2S).
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