Why We Serve: Native Americans in the United States Armed Forces

Rare stories from more than 250 years of Native Americans' service in the military

Why We Serve commemorates the 2020 opening of the National Native American Veterans Memorial at the Smithsonian National Museum of the American Indian, the first landmark in Washington, DC, to recognize the bravery and sacrifice of Native veterans. American Indians' history of military service dates to colonial times, and today, they serve at one of the highest rates of any ethnic group. Why We Serve explores the range of reasons why, from love of their home to an expression of their warrior traditions. The book brings fascinating history to life with historical photographs, sketches, paintings, and maps. Incredible contributions from important voices in the field offer a complex examination of the history of Native American service. Why We Serve celebrates the unsung legacy of Native military service and what it means to their community and country.

Author: Nmai
Publisher: Smithsonian Books
Published: 09/15/2020
Pages: 240
Binding Type: Hardcover
Weight: 2.45lbs
Size: 10.20h x 7.40w x 0.90d
ISBN13: 9781588346971
ISBN10: 1588346978
BISAC Categories:
- History | Indigenous Peoples of the Americas
- History | Military | Veterans
- Art | Collections, Catalogs, Exhibitions | General

About the Author
ALEXANDRA HARRIS and MARK HIRSCH are senior editor and historian, respectively, at the National Museum of the American Indian. Other contributors include Senator Ben Nighthorse Campbell (Northern Cheyenne), Representative Deb Haaland (Pueblo of Laguna), Representative Markwayne Mullin (Cherokee Nation), Kevin Gover (Pawnee), Jefferson Keel (Chickasaw), and Herman Viola.