The Library Celebrates Native American Heritage Month

Monday, October 27, 2025

For thousands of years, Native Americans have called the Kansas City region home, shaping its story long before the city was founded.

The Kansas City Public Library's service area is located on the ancestral lands of the Kiikaapoi (Kickapoo), Osage, Kaw (Kansa), Missouria, Shawnee, Wyandot, and Očeti Šakówiŋ (Sioux).

Today, Native Americans make up a small but vital part of the metro area and surrounding communities, their presence woven into everyday life. As Libby Hanssen wrote in a recent KCUR Creative Adventure newsletter, Native American influences resonate in street names, historic landmarks, museum galleries, and ongoing celebrations.

In 1990, President George W. Bush approved a joint resolution designating November “National American Indian Heritage Month.” The Library continues to celebrate it to this day.

This November, immerse yourself in the rich history, ceremonies, and storytelling traditions of Indigenous peoples across North America during Native American Heritage Month.

Browse curated reading lists, films, and resources from the Library to deepen your understanding and appreciation.

And join us on November 18, when Kansas author Laurie Dove discusses her debut book at the Plaza Branch and the high rate of crime against members of Native communities. The novel follows Carrie Starr, who accepts a job as the tribal marshal on an Oklahoma reservation where her father grew up, and investigates the disappearance of a local college student. RSVP here.

Upcoming Activities

Research Resources

Missouri Valley Special Collections, housed on the fifth floor of the Central Library, offers a range of research materials, including books, newspaper and magazine articles, photographs, maps, and more. Find out more by searching keywords, such as Indigenous peoples, Indians, and Native Americans.