Native American Citizenship Day

Native American Citizenship Day is an American holiday dedicated to Native Americans. These are members of the Native American culture that flourished on American lands before their conquest by European settlers. The holiday is annually on June 15.

History

Native Americans had been legal residents of the United States for a long time until the Age of Discovery when thousands of European colonists poured in after Columbus (later, Amerigo Vespucci) discovered the American continent and wanted to be the first to explore the New World.

After the introduction of the U.S. Constitution, Native Americans who were not taxed were not recognized as full citizens of the country and were deprived of suffrage. In 1857, the Dred Scott Decision was passed, stating that Native Indians could not receive full citizenship rights because they were considered an enslaved people. The 14th Amendment, issued in 1868, reversed this decision, but no clear algorithm for granting citizenship to Native Americans was ever presented.

The official citizenship of Native Americans began after the Civil War. The process intensified with the issuance of citizenship to WWI veterans of Indian descent. Later, the Indian Citizenship Act was issued, and in 1924 all Native Americans became full citizens of the United States.

Interesting Facts

• The largest number of Native Americans live in California, about 750,000 people.
• In 1888, they began issuing citizenship to women of Indian descent who married current U.S. citizens for the first time.

How to Celebrate

Greet people you know who have Native American ancestry. Watch documentaries about Native American culture, and visit museums to learn more about it!

Share information about the holiday on social media. Ask Native American users if their relatives, members of the older generation, have experienced any problems in obtaining citizenship.

When is Native American Citizenship Day in 2024?

Native American Citizenship Day is observed on June 15 each year.

Observations