Resources

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For more information about historical and contemporary Native American Heritage, the library recommends the following institutions and resources in Illinois, online and throughout the U.S. 

Illinois Institutions

  • American Indian Center: The American Indian Center is a registered 501(c)(3) nonprofit organization that helps urban Natives connect with their culture. Established in 1953, the American Indian Center is one of the oldest urban Native centers in the country. Created out of love for community, the center’s founders sought to help Natives who moved to Chicago through the U.S. government’s relocation program. Today, the American Indian Center continues its mission by supporting Natives throughout the Chicagoland area.
  • Newberry Library: The Newberry's Edward E. Ayer collection is one of the largest collections of books and manuscripts on American Indian and Indigenous Studies in the world. Newberry librarians and assistants have compiled various resources containing bibliographies, checklists and other resources helpful in directing research of Native American culture and heritage.
  • Mitchell Museum of the American Indian: The Mitchell Museum of the American Indian, located in Evanston, Illinois, is one of a handful of museums across the country that focuses exclusively on the histories, cultures, traditions and arts of Indigenous people from the United States and Canada. Since its founding in 1977, the museum has become a cherished resource and education center committed to promoting a greater understanding of Indigenous peoples and serving as a space to celebrate their diverse cultures, rich histories, and present-day experiences and contributions.
  • Trickster Cultural Center: Trickster Cultural Center was established on March 5, 2005 to create a unique contemporary view of Native arts, cultural education and awareness. Today it is the first Native American owned and operated arts institution in the state of Illinois. Trickster programming, library collection, and displays emphasize the importance of contemporary Native culture, achievements, and heritage. By focusing on contemporary heritage, Trickster's mission combats the perpetual state of nostalgia, stereotyping, and minimization of Native peoples.
  • American Indian Association of Illinois: The American Indian Association of Illinois strives to transform American Indian education into an experience founded in Native culture, language, and history fused with knowledge, excellence, and tribal values which will enhance tribal nations and urban Native communities where American Indian families work, live, worship, attend school, care for their elders, and raise their children.

National Institutions

  • National Museum of the American Indian: A diverse and multifaceted cultural and educational enterprise, the National Museum of the American Indian (NMAI) is an active and visible component of the Smithsonian Institution, the world's largest museum complex. The NMAI cares for one of the world's most expansive collections of Native artifacts, including objects, photographs, archives, and media covering the entire Western Hemisphere, from the Arctic Circle to Tierra del Fuego.
  • National Council of American Indians: Founded in 1944, the National Congress of American Indians (NCAI) is the oldest, largest, and most representative American Indian and Alaska Native organization serving the broad interests of tribal governments and communities. NCAI, a nonprofit organization, advocates for a bright future for generations to come by taking the lead to gain consensus on a constructive and promising vision for Indian Country.

Online Resources

  • Family Search - Illinois Indigenous Peoples: FamilySearch has compiled research materials for genealogy purposes from hundreds of archival collections. They have also created a useful wiki page for researching Indigenous people of Illinois. Collections include contact information for Tribal headquarters, superintendencies, vital records, Tribal correspondences, historical timelines and more.
  • Native Knowledge 360: Native Knowledge 360° provides educators and students with new perspectives on Native American history and cultures. NK360° provides educational materials, virtual student programs, and teacher training that incorporate Native narratives, more comprehensive histories, and accurate information to enlighten and inform teaching and learning about Native Peoples. NK360° challenges common assumptions about Native peoples and offers a view that includes not only the past but also the vibrancy of Native peoples and cultures today.
  • Native Lands Digital: Native Land Digital strives to create and foster conversations about the history of colonialism, Indigenous ways of knowing, and settler-Indigenous relations, through educational resources such their Native Lands map and Territory Acknowledgement Guide.
  • Ancestry - Native American Records: Accessible inside the library, users can research Native history through genealogical records on Ancestry. Resources include records from Tribal censuses, Native Freedmen’s Bureaus, reservation rolls, muster rolls, military service records and more.