Native American veterans get spotlight with upcoming memorial

Although Washington, D.C., is known for its many commemorations recognizing Americans who have shaped and served the country in various capacities, there has not historically been a landmark honoring the contributions of American Indians, Alaska Natives, and Native Hawaiians who have served in the military dating back to colonial times. That will change with the National Native American Veterans Memorial, which will be constructed on the grounds of the Smithsonian’s National Museum of the American Indian.

“Native Americans, including American Indians, Alaska Natives, and Native Hawaiians, have served their country honorably and in great numbers since the Revolutionary War and they continue to do so today,” says project curator Rebecca Head Trautmann in an e-mail interview. “It’s time for this extraordinary tradition of service to be recognized and honored with a memorial on the National Mall.” Ground is expected to be broken on Sept. 21, 2019.

The Smithsonian museum was commissioned by Congress to create a memorial to provide “all Americans the opportunity to learn of the proud and courageous tradition of service by Native Americans in the Armed Forces of the United States.” The museum conducted more than 35 community consultations with Native veterans, active-duty service members, tribal leaders, and family and community members. “The memorial must be inclusive of all Native American veterans – American Indian, Alaska Native, and Native Hawaiian men and women, from all branches of service and all eras from the Revolutionary War to the present and going forward,” says Ms. Trautmann. “It should reflect Native spirituality, in a very inclusive way, [and] it should create a space for gathering, remembrance, and reflection, and be a place for healing.”