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November is Native American Heritage Month, and we are celebrating by sharing educational resources from the Library of Congress, the U.S. National Archives, the National Endowment for the Humanities, the National Gallery of Art, the National Park Service, and the Smithsonian to help students learn about Native American history and traditions. Students can also learn about the rich and diverse cultures, histories, and contemporary lives of Native Peoples with the “Native Knowledge 360° Education Initiative,” a feature from the National Museum of the American Indian.
To highlight Native American Heritage Month, the New York State Museum is honoring the cultural heritage, diverse histories, and continuing contributions of Native People. The Museum created a dedicated Native American Heritage Month web page with many resources to explore, including highlights from the Museum’s collections, featured videos, online exhibitions, educator guides, a list of events happening statewide, and much more. I encourage you to take a look at all of the special virtual programming and educational materials that are available to help celebrate Native American Heritage Month with your children.
The nation also recently celebrated Hispanic Heritage Month, honoring Hispanic Americans' histories and cultures. Although the month-long celebration has passed, we can all continue learning with these online exhibits, collections, videos, and other resources about the influence of Hispanic communities on American life. In addition, the New York State Education Department's celebration of Hispanic Heritage Month included numerous social media posts that shared the contributions of prominent Hispanic Americans to our society. I encourage you to follow us on Twitter, Facebook, and LinkedIn to learn more. I also spoke at a celebration of Hispanic Heritage Month at the Cultural Education Center in Albany, hosted by the New York State Department of Civil Service.
November 7-13 is Children’s Book Week! Every Child a Reader provides resources and activities to help families celebrate, such as posters, step-by-step drawing instructions, bookmarks, and a #HowDoYouBook reading challenge! You can learn more about the #HowDoYouBook Challenge and find free online resources on the Every Child a Reader website. If you would like something new to read and are looking for a place to start, check out these reading lists from the Children’s Book Council. I also encourage you to visit your local library to explore more possibilities or rediscover some old favorites!
Finally, if you’re in the Albany area, the New York State Museum will host a special event on Thursday, November 17, all about baseball hero Babe Ruth. New York State Museum Curator of Sports, Stephen Loughman, will present a short history of the “House that Ruth Built” and discuss New York Yankees-related artifacts in the Museum’s collection, including a recently donated Babe Ruth signed baseball. Learn more about the program on the New York State Museum website.
Thank you for your continued support. Spread the word and invite other families to subscribe to our email list to receive updates!
Sincerely,
Betty A. Rosa
Commissioner
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