Inductees

“We are what we imagine. Our very existence consists in our imagination of ourselves. Our best destiny is to imagine, at least, completely, who and what, and that we are. The greatest tragedy that can befall us is to go unimagined.”

– N. Scott Momaday (Kiowa)
   Pulitzer Prize-Winning Author

A

Over 260 guests attended the 2023 Induction Ceremony Gala, which was held on October 14th at the First Americans Museum in Oklahoma City. 

CLICK HERE to view Induction Ceremony details.

2023 INDUCTEES

2022 INDUCTEES

2021 INDUCTEES

2019 INDUCTEES

2018 INAUGURAL INDUCTEES

ELIGIBILITY CRITERIA

Every candidate considered for the Native American Hall of Fame must be Native American or Alaskan Native.  Candidates must either be federally-enrolled, part of a state-recognized tribe or have verifiable Native descendancy with strong and verifiable ties to their respective communities.
 
Leadership —Tribal Leader or leader of an effort that earned respect and regard for their accomplishments.
Sacrifice —Sacrificed themselves or their own personal interests for the greater good.
Contributions to Indian Country —Their work or efforts benefited Indian country or benefited understanding to those outside of Indian Country.
Mentorship —Contributed to youth, fellow professionals, elders or other tribal members due to their work for the betterment of Indian Country and serving as a role model.
Legacy —Their work or efforts benefited policy, public regard, tribal relationships or other national regard in a way that bettered Indian country for generations that followed or will follow.
Accomplishments —They made a nationally recognized or well-warranted accomplishment that brought Indian country into a national or international positive spotlight. They could have been the first in their field or profession.

SELECTION PROCESS

Once eligibility has been determined, the list of potential inductees is compiled by the National Native American Hall of Fame Board of Directors. This list is entered into a matrix which includes consideration for gender, geographic balance, deceased or living, reputation and category of achievement.  After review and discussion, the results are confirmed by the Board of Directors.