American Indians

ABOUT THIS COMMITTEE

The American Indians Committee is dedicated to illuminating the path of empowerment for the American Indian, Native Alaskan, and First Nations’ communities. Virginia Daughters, illuminate the path of empowerment by expanding our knowledge of American Indians, Native Alaskan, and First Nations’ communities thru their history and contemporary issues facing them today.

COMMITTEE LEADERSHIP

Allison Hoopes — Vice Chair
adlhoopes@yahoo.com  · 703-483-5153
4716 Montgomery Street, Annandale, VA 22003

COMMITTEE INFORMATION

Chapters have numerous educational opportunities to support the American Indians Committee:

• Read the American Indian Minute at each meeting. You can use the suggested minutes from the national web page or create your own if you would like.
• Promote the knowledge that American Indians and Native Alaskans serve in the U.S. Armed Forces at the highest per-capita than any other ethnicity at 19% within that total nearly 20% of Armed Forces members are women (the highest concentration of women servicemembers than all other ethnicities).
• Promote the use of the Community Classroom Lesson Plans (keyword American Indians) to schools in your area or use them as a program in your chapter. You can find them here, or you may go to the Teacher’s Corner on the Virginia Tribal Education Consortium (VTEC) website for Virginia Indians resources.
• Participate in this Committee’s Daughters Online Community (DOC). Find us in the American Indians Committee Community.
• Celebrate November as “Native American Heritage Month” with a chapter program or have the Mayor sign a Proclamation honoring this nation’s original inhabitants. A Speakers List is available that includes Zoom and in-person options. You may obtain this list by emailing aicommitteevirginiadar@gmail.com. If you wish to be added to the Speakers List, please email the same address.
• Encourage Land Acknowledgements — Land Acknowledgements recognize and respect Indigenous Peoples as traditional stewards of this land and the enduring relationship that exists between Indigenous Peoples and their traditional territories. Read more at The Conversation.
• Learn about and support the 11 Virginia Tribes — The First Peoples of Virginia’s significant contributions to the early English settlers enabled their survival in the new lands. After 400 years of colonization, eleven recognized Virginia Tribes are still here.
• Support tribes today by subscribing to their Facebook pages, attending Pow Wows, or inviting them to present a program to your chapter. Learn about the first inhabitants of your area.
  • Virginia Indians video
  • Commonwealth of Virginia — Virginia Indians
• Visit historic sites including Werowocomoco, historic Jamestown, and the Hampton University Museum. A list and description of Virginia sites may be obtained by emailing aicommitteevirginiadar@gmail.com.
• Publicize and promote American Indian scholarships. Application information is on the DAR Scholarship Committee website at General Scholarships, American Indians tab. DAR American Indian Scholarships are done entirely online at dar.academicworks.com.
  • The American Indian Scholarship for $4,000 (more than one may be awarded each year) requires a 3.25 GPA and has a deadline of January 31. Contact americanindianschol@nsdar.org for information from the National Vice Chair.
  • The Frances Crawford Marvin American Indian Scholarship (one awarded per year), with a 3.25 GPA requirement and a variable award sum determined annually by the return on the endowment, has a deadline of January 31. The application process opens November 1. Contact Fcmarvinamericanindiansscholarship@nsdar.org for information from the National Vice Chair.
  • The Anne Trevarthen Memorial Scholarship is a one-time scholarship presented each April/May to a high school senior who will be attending the College of William and Mary in Williamsburg. The scholarship amount is based on the annual return of the DAR endowment and is administered by the college.
• Plan a fundraiser for the Friends of American Indian Scholarship Fund or the American Indian Fund, such as passing a Wampum bag around at chapter meetings.
• Purchase an American Indian Fund Pin to support the American Indians Committee grants and educational endeavors in Tribal Communities.