Native Culture at Lewis & Clark Library

The Lewis & Clark Library and its branches are situated on the ancestral homeland and traditional gathering place of many tribes[1], including the Piikani (Blackfeet), Aaniiih (Gros Ventre), Séliš (Salish), and Ql̓ispé (Kalispel or Pend d’Oreille). Against the backdrop of the Montana Constitution’s guarantee of Indian Education for All, the Library actively works to welcome and support Indigenous people and provide access to spaces where everyone belongs.

In Montana’s 1972 Constitution, the State “recognizes the distinct and unique cultural heritage of the American Indians and is committed in its educational goals to the preservation of their cultural integrity.” [2]

In 1999, the Montana Legislature passed into law what is now known as Indian Education for All, stating:

Every Montanan . . . whether Indian or non-Indian, be encouraged to learn about the distinct and unique heritage of American Indians in a culturally responsive manner . . . Every educational agency and all educational personnel will work cooperatively with Montana tribes . . . when providing instructions and implementing an educational goal.”

As a part of the educational ecosystem in Lewis and Clark County, the Library is proud to show its commitment to Indigenous belonging and tribal education in the following ways:

• Installing a permanent tribal flag display to honor and represent Montana’s tribes, on view at the Main Library
• Engaging in partnerships and programs with local agencies including the Helena Indian Alliance
• Offering ongoing internal staff education about Indigenous people of Montana
• Providing a diverse collection that highlights books by Montana’s Indigenous authors
• Placing permanent Montana Indigenous art at all our Library locations

We encourage you to explore the diverse and rich history of Montana’s tribes and Indigenous people at the Library.

More resources to explore

Reading Lists

• New Indigenous Peoples Fiction & Nonfiction for Adults
• Adult Nonfiction: Indigenous Stories 
• Fiction with Roots: Indigenous Voices & Visions

More Links

Essential Understandings Regarding Montana Indians

Helena Indian Alliance

Indian Education for All

Montana Tribal Flags and Seals

Native Land Map

Montana Heritage Center

A&E / SMA Architecture + Design

[1] https://www.montana.edu/iefa/introductiontomttribalnations/tribalterritories.html

[2] https://opi.mt.gov/Portals/182/Page%20Files/Indian%20Education/Indian%20Education%20101/Framework.pdf