RESOLUTION FOR BOARD MEETING OF NOVEMBER 2, 2023
Title
RESOLUTION sponsored by the Board of Commissioners recognizing November as National American Indian Heritage Month
Body
WHEREAS, the word “Chicago” is believed to be derived from the Algonquian word “Shikaakwa”, which was the name that Native tribes used to refer to the Chicago River because of the stinky wild leeks that grew along the banks of the river; and
WHEREAS, in the early 1830s, many Native tribes left the Chicago area as a result of the Black Hawk War of 1832 and the Treaty of Chicago in 1833. With the passage of the Indian Relocation Act of 1956, Chicago saw a resurgence in its Native population, as the Act’s purpose was to reintegrate Native Americans into urban areas; and
WHEREAS, as one of the original relocation sites, a thriving intertribal community began to form in Chicago. Currently, there are an estimated 65,000 Native Americans who live in the Chicago Metropolitan Area, representing approximately 175 tribal nations; and
WHEREAS, in recognition of the monumental contributions made by Native Americans, on August 3, 1990, President George H. W. Bush issued House Joint Resolution 577 designating November 1990 National American Indian Heritage Month. Since 1994, similar presidential resolutions have been issued; and
WHEREAS, on August 4, 2023, Illinois Governor J.B. Pritzker signed three bills into law that further the protection that Illinois offers to Native Americans. House Bill 3413 amends, among others, the Human Remains Protection Act (formerly known as the Human Skeletal Remains Protection Act), requiring the Illinois State Museum and federally recognized tribes to coordinate the return of Native American remains and cultural artifacts to the tribe of origin. Senate Bill 1446 amends the School Code by establishing the right for students in Illinois to wear accessories at graduation ceremonies that symbolize their cultural, religious, and ethnic heritage, consistent with the Illinois Human Rights Act. Lastly, House Bill 1633 further amends the School Code by requiring that Native American history be taught in all public schools in Illinois, including not only the history of tribes in the Midwest but of all of the tribes nationwide; and
WHEREAS, these laws were passed in recognition of and as a demonstration of respect for Native American history, culture, and traditions; and
WHEREAS, the Metropolitan Water Reclamation District of Greater Chicago (District) recognizes the contributions of our Native American employees, including the work that they do to serve the diverse municipalities that lie within the District’s boundaries; and
NOW, THEREFORE, BE IT RESOLVED, that we, the Board of Commissioners of the Metropolitan Water Reclamation District of Greater Chicago, on behalf of ourselves and our staff, do hereby recognize November as National American Indian Heritage Month; and
BE IT FURTHER RESOLVED, that this Resolution be spread upon the permanent Record of Proceedings of the Board of Commissioners of the Metropolitan Water Reclamation District of Greater Chicago.
Dated: November 2, 2023