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November 27, 2023 Native American Heritage Month

Traveling exhibit focuses on Native American voting rights

In celebration of Native American Heritage Month in November, the American Bar Association Standing Committee on the Law Library of Congress has launched a new traveling exhibit, “100 Years After the Indian Citizenship Act: The Continuing Struggle to Guarantee Voting Rights to Native Americans.”

A photo from a new ABA exhibit shows President Calvin Coolidge (center) standing with Native Americans near the south lawn of the White House in 1925.

A photo from a new ABA exhibit shows President Calvin Coolidge (center) standing with Native Americans near the south lawn of the White House in 1925.

Library of Congress Prints and Photographs Division

The exhibit explores Native American Voting Rights long before the Indian Citizenship Act of 1924 and how it failed to ensure Native American participation in elections. Tribal leaders and lesser-known voting rights activists from all walks of life are highlighted in the display.

“This powerful exhibit highlights the challenges and barriers to voting that Native Americans have faced for decades — from 1921 right up to today,” ABA President Mary Smith said. “Voting is the bedrock of our democracy, and Native Americans play a pivotal role as its earliest stewards. We must remain vigilant and proactive in addressing the challenges that hinder their full participation.”

The exhibit builds off the success of previous exhibits that traveled to more than 225 venues nationwide: Magna Carta (2015-18), 19th Amendment (2019-22) and Mayflower Compact (2022-23). Like those, the new exhibit will be on display at law schools, state capitol buildings, state and local bar associations, courthouses, law firms and national and local conferences across the country. Click here to bring the latest exhibit to your organization.

Places currently hosting the exhibit include:

  • National Native American Bar Association in Tempe, Arizona
  • Jacksonville University College of Law in Jacksonville, Florida
  • Greenberg Traurig LLP in Chicago
  • Stanford University Law School in Stanford, California
  • Case Western Reserve Law Library in Cleveland, Ohio
  • University of the Pacific, McGeorge School of Law Library in Sacramento, California

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