[Weekly Compilation of Presidential Documents Volume 33, Number 45 (Monday, November 10, 1997)]
[Page 1722]
[Online from the Government Publishing Office, www.gpo.gov]

<R04>
Proclamation 7047--National American Indian Heritage Month, 1997

November 1, 1997

By the President of the United States

of America

A Proclamation

    American Indians and Alaska Natives have played a vital role in the 
life of our country, and their many contributions have enhanced the 
freedom, prosperity, and greatness of America today. In celebrating 
National American Indian Heritage Month, we reaffirm our country's 
commitment to remember those contributions and to honor the unique 
heritage of our continent's first inhabitants.
    This special observance also reflects our continuing commitment to 
American Indian and Alaska Native tribal governments as an integral part 
of the social, political, and economic fabric of the United States. The 
framers of our Constitution incorporated Indian nations into the 
political and legal framework of this country, forever joining the 
destiny of the tribal nations with that of the American people. By this 
action, our founders charged themselves and future generations with the 
moral obligation to guard the rights and fundamental liberties of our 
country's tribal peoples as zealously as we protect the rights of all 
Americans.
    As we enter the next millennium, we have an exciting opportunity to 
open a new era of understanding, cooperation, and respect among all of 
America's people. We must work together to tear down the walls of 
separation and mistrust and build a strong foundation for the future. To 
accomplish this, we must strengthen tribal governments, improve the 
quality of education for American Indian and Alaska Native youth, build 
stable, diversified economies in tribal communities, create high-wage 
jobs, and ensure that all our citizens have the skills, education, and 
opportunities they need to reach their full potential.
    The government-to-government relationship between the tribes and the 
United States embodies the fundamental American belief that people of 
widely varied and diverse cultural backgrounds can join together to 
build a great country. Such greatness can be sustained, however, only so 
long as we honor the ideals and principles upon which America is founded 
and abide by our commitments to all our people. In recognition of 
America's moral and legal obligations to American Indians and Alaska 
Natives, and in light of the special trust relationship between tribal 
governments and the Government of the United States, we celebrate 
National American Indian Heritage Month.
    Now, Therefore, I, William J. Clinton, President of the United 
States of America, by virtue of the authority vested in me by the 
Constitution and laws of the United States, do hereby proclaim November 
1997 as National American Indian Heritage Month. I urge all Americans, 
as well as their elected representatives at the Federal, State, local, 
and tribal levels, to observe this month with appropriate programs, 
ceremonies, and activities.
    In Witness Whereof, I have hereunto set my hand this first day of 
November, in the year of our Lord nineteen hundred and ninety-seven, and 
of the Independence of the United States of America the two hundred and 
twenty-second.
                                            William J. Clinton

[Filed with the Office of the Federal Register, 8:45 a.m., November 4, 
1997]

Note: This proclamation was released by the Office of the Press 
Secretary on November 3, and it was published in the Federal Register on 
November 5.