Native peoples have made their homes in the land we now call Ohio for over 15,000 years. Ohio History Day and the Ohio History Connection are committed to sharing the colorful histories, viewpoints, and stories of American Indian people connected to this land.  

Much of what we know about the history of American Indian peoples comes from the work of non-Native historians and anthropologists. While there are Native experts and scholars who add to our understanding of these histories, the first-person voices of American Indian peoples are mostly missing from written history, because Tribe’s have their own customs and ways of sharing history and what is important to their communities.  

This guide will provide students and educators with an initial orientation for how they may work to research and develop History Day projects that strive to incorporate voices of American Indian peoples, cultures and histories.  This guide includes a: 

• Brief Summary of American Indian History in Ohio;

• Potential History Day Topics;

• Tips for Conducting Research;

• How to Contact Tribal Representatives; and

• Guidelines for Developing History Day projects.

This guide has been created in consultation of the Director of American Indian Relations at the Ohio History Connection. We will continue to update this resource as we work with our Tribal Partners. We hope this guide will help you explore the rich and important histories of American Indian peoples in Ohio and across the United States.