ANNAPOLIS, MD-In partnership with the Baltimore American Indian Center, the Governor’s Office of Community Initiatives and the Maryland Commission on Indian Affairs today, hosted the Annual American Indian Heritage Day celebration at Port Discovery in Baltimore, Maryland. This year marked the first time that an American Indian Heritage Day celebration has been hosted by a large public institution in Maryland.

“The State of Maryland has enjoyed a strong history of cooperation and collaboration with American Indians,” said Steve McAdams, Executive Director of the Governor’s Office of Community Initiatives. “This Thanksgiving weekend, we are thankful for this partnership and celebrate the rich customs, heritage, and history of American Indians across our many Maryland communities.”

Established by legislation in 2008, American Indian Heritage Day recognizes and celebrates the contributions, heritage, and culture of the nearly 60,000 American Indians living in Maryland. This commemorative day is held each year on the fourth Friday of November, the day following Thanksgiving, and honors the ongoing relationship that the State of Maryland has with the American Indian community.

Today’s celebration included cultural demonstrations by the Piscataway and Lumbee Tribes, an honor song for Governor Hogan’s support for American Indian Heritage Day, Native American stories, cultural activities with the Baltimore American Indian Center, and inter-tribal dancing.