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History & Heritage


"but, understand the source of your power and it is not the knowledge that you learn, it is not the schooling, it is not the job you have. if you are from a community and you want to become a leader of that community, well, the power is the community; the power is the land. the power is all these things."

-Harry Wallace

2001 interview with chief harry wallace,
elected chief of unkechaug nation

About

It was in Presidential Proclamation 6230 that George H.W. Bush paid tribute to the rich history and culture of the American Indian tribes. Each year since 1990 the president has proclaimed November the designated National Native American Heritage Month. Congress chose the month of November because this is generally the end of the traditional harvest season and a time of celebration. It is also a time for all American people to honor the achievements of indigenous communities and celebrate the diverse cultures and traditions these peoples contribute to our collective history. In addition, November is a time to raise awareness about the challenges native people have faced in the past as well as in the present and how they have worked to conquer these challenges.
Origins
​
​
The origins of Native American Heritage Month can be traced back to the early 20th century, specifically to the efforts of Dr. Arthur C. Parker, a Seneca archaeologist and historian, who advocated for a day to honor Native Americans, leading to New York State becoming the first to recognize "American Indian Day" in 1916; eventually, President George H.W. Bush officially designated November as "National American Indian Heritage Month" in 1990, solidifying the
month-long recognition that exists today.

Sources/Additional Information
​
  • Lipman, Andrew. Saltwater Frontier. (New Haven: Yale University Press, 2015).
  • ​Strong, John. The Unkechaug Indians of Eastern Long Island. (Norman: University of Oklahoma Press, 2011). 
​​​​
Image Credits
​

​The Whaling Museum & Education Center of Cold Spring Harbor
November
Picture
​After the melting of the glacier, when the Unkechaugs migrated to Long Island, the region flourished with marine life, including clams, oysters, crabs, sturgeon, and fish species such as striped bass. Freshwater creeks, salt meadows, and shallow bays on the south shore provided rich habitats for wildlife. Their geographic region provided easy access to fish, shellfish, waterfowl, and land and sea mammals. The current Unkechaug Reservation reflects this ancient preference, situated on Poospatuck Creek, a freshwater stream on Mastic Neck flowing into the Forge River.

The economic value of oil and baleen from drift whale carcasses led the English to form shore whaling companies on Long Island. Instead of waiting for whales to beach themselves, these companies combined Indigenous knowledge with English investment, to hunt whales in shallow coastal waters. The northern right whale was a prime target due to its slow swimming and surface feeding habits, which made it easier to hunt. Beginning around 1650, English companies in Southampton and East Hampton hired skilled Shinnecock and Montaukett whalers. The hunts required courage and skill, as whalers had to get close to the whale and drive harpoons deep into its body.

During the first decades of the whaling industry (1650–1670), Indigenous whalers were paid very little for their labor. In 1670, for instance, a three-year contract offered only basic provisions such as coats, stockings, corn, etc rather than actual wages. The Unkechaugs resisted unfair labor contracts and demanded better compensation, even attempting to form their own independent whaling company in 1676. Governor Edmund Andros granted the Unkechaug permission to whale and sell their products freely. Though they never established an independent company, the threat of competition may have influenced later agreements, which gave Native whalers a share of the profits. By the late 1670s, several Unkechaug whalers had joined English companies. For example, a young Unkechaug named Worison signed a contract in 1676 with Southampton whalers, agreeing to hunt, butcher, and process whale oil and baleen, sharing in the profits.
​
Unkechaug whalers remained crucial to shore whaling operations until the mid-18th century. However, the near extinction of right whales forced whaling to move farther offshore, to target sperm whales in the Arctic and Southern Atlantic. The 1755 will of Nicoll Floyd granted whaling equipment to his Unkechaug servants, showing that some whale hunting persisted, but it was no longer a major economic activity. Many indigenous whalers adapted by going to sea, while others sought new employment within the English economy.

Explore History & Heritage by the Month
Black History Month
​
  • Vaccinations in America
  • Black Sailors in the Revolutionary War
  • African Americans During the Revolution
  • Amistad
  • Eastville
  • ​​Benjamin Whitecuff - Hempstead's Black Loyalist Spy
  • ​Whaling
  • ​Lewis Temple - Blacksmith and Inventor
  • Slaves in the American Economy, part 1
  • ​Slaves in the American Economy, part 2
  • ​African Americans in U.S. Coast Guard History​​
Women's History Month
​
  • Ida Lewis
  • Margaret Fuller
  • Marie Parsons
  • Martha Coston
  • Martha, Jennie, Rene & Celia
  • Mary McCann​
Hispanic History Month

  • Hispanic Maritime History
Holidays
​
  • ​Lincoln's Birthday
  • ​​St. Valentine's Day​
  • St. Patrick's Day​
  • ​April Fools Day
  • ​Earth Day
  • ​May Day & May Basket Day
  • ​Mother's Day
  • ​June Teenth
  • ​Armed Forces Day
  • ​National Mariners Day
  • Memorial Day​

Jewish American Heritage Month

  • Jewish American Heritage Month​
  • Jewish Association of United Brethren at Temple Dedication, Sag Harbor 1900
  • ​Einstein in Southold
  • ​L.B. Smith Rubber Company
  • ​Patchogue Merchants
Asian American & Pacific Islander Month 

  • Asian American & Pacific Islander Month
  • ​The Chinese Exclusion Act of 1882
  • ​Chinese Farms in Queens
  • Golden Venture
Native American Heritage Month
​
  • Native American Heritage - 1
  • ​Native American Heritage - 2​​
LGBTQ + Pride Month
​
  • The Carrington House
  • Cherry Grove House & Theater
  • Knickerbocker Sailing Association


Visit the Long Island Maritime Museum
to learn more about history & heritage while checking out
 the many exhibits located throughout our campus.

Connect and Contact Us Anytime   [email protected]

Long Island Maritime Museum, 88 West Avenue, West Sayville, New York 11796

                     
631-854-4974 
                              
631-HISTORY          
​631-447-8679

  • Home
  • About Us
    • Museum Staff
    • Mission Statement
    • Privacy Policy
    • Membership
    • Volunteer
    • Watercraft For Sale
  • Visit
  • Exhibits
    • Shipwrecks
    • History & Heritage May
  • Digital Archives
  • Education Programs
    • Lectures at the Museum
    • Story Time by the Bay
    • Children's Woodworking Program
    • Priscilla: Children's Sail Program
    • Spring Break Programs
    • America's Boating Course
    • Watercolor Workshops
    • Tai Chi Classes
    • Bay Days Summer Camp
  • Events
    • Keels & Wheels
    • Seafood Festival 2025
    • Thursdays On The Bay 2025
    • Halloween Boat Burning
    • 2024 Raffle Boat Winner
  • Sail Priscilla
    • FAQ
  • Facility Rental
    • Photo Shoots