Native American Heritage Month
Post Written by Library Graduate Assistant Kimberly Braet
This November, the Lehman Library celebrates Native American Heritage Month with a focus on the Indigenous history of South Central Pennsylvania. Established in 1990 as a National Holiday by George H.W. Bush, the month serves as a way to continuously honor the rich history and contributions of Indigenous peoples (American Association of School Librarians, 2025). In South Central Pennsylvania specifically, Native American Heritage Month draws attention to the Susquehannock and Lenape nations, who resided in the South Central Pennsylvania region of Cumberland County before colonization (“History: Past and Present,” n.d.). In particular, the Susquehannock Nation was the most recent nation to reside in the Cumberland County region, and the Susquehannock peoples lived along the Susquehanna River in numbers of about 3,000-4,000 people at the time of European contact (Brodbeck, 2014). According to Brodbeck, the Susquehannock nation eventually became known by William Penn as the “Conestoga Indians”, until their eventual collapse in the Paxton Boys Massacre, and remaining Indigenous groups at this time began Northern and Western travels to seek better living arrangements. To learn more about Cumberland County’s Indigenous history, please visit the following resources:
Cumberland County – History Past and Present
In the present day, Shippensburg University acknowledges that our institution resides on the land that the Susquehannock people once called home. Our Land Acknowledgment pays mind to the evolving landscape of what we now call Pennsylvania and the ways Indigenous peoples have been displaced from the region and have been forced to assimilate into European culture as colonization took over the East Coast. This Land Acknowledgment seeks to honor the communities, tribes, and nations that make up the Susquehanna region. The map below from Native Land Digital demonstrates the original geographic makeup of the Susquehannock people in the Cumberland County region.
The Lehman Library has also assembled a list of relevant resources to cover the complexities of Indigenous history, identity, and erasure over time, and this list frames Indigenous history through local perspectives of the Cumberland County region. These books will be on display on the main floor of the library for patrons to explore and increase their understanding and awareness of Indigenous history.
As we reflect on the rich history and contributions of Indigenous peoples this Native American Heritage month, we recognize the ongoing strength and resilience of Native communities today. In honoring the history of Indigenous peoples, it is important to learn from, listen to, and amplify Indigenous voices beyond the month of November. We invite our patrons to explore these materials and engage with their local history to gain a deeper understanding of the land we call home.
References
American Association of School Librarians. (2025). Native American Heritage Month. American Library Association. https://www.ala.org/aasl/advocacy/promo/NativeAmerican
Brodbeck, C. (2014). A brief history of the Susquehannock Nation and other American Indians in the Susquehanna Valley. Gardner Digital Library. https://gardnerlibrary.org/encyclopedia/brief-history-susquehannock-nation-and-other-american-indians-susquehanna-valley
History: Past and Present. (n.d.). In Cumberland County, PA. https://www.cumberlandcountypa.gov/DocumentCenter/View/7176/Ch4_History_Past_Present
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