In a two-volume, special edition, AICRJ volume 44, issues 2 and 3, we examine COVID-19’s unique implications for Indigenous Peoples, nations, and communities. Within the United States, African Americans, Hispanics, and American Indians have experienced substantially higher levels of COVID-19 infection and death. The impact of COVID-19 on Indigenous Peoples residing in other countries differs according to the overall national strategy for dealing with the pandemic. The structural racism of colonialism is the driver of myriad negative outcomes for Indigenous Peoples, and the effects of COVID-19 are no exception. The articles in this first special issue take a granular and intersectional look at the impact of the pandemic, the resilience of Indigenous communities, and the relevance of self-determination in public responses. These articles document specific programs and methods to combat and cope with COVID-19 effects in Indigenous communities and nations.

This is the second volume of a two-volume special issue of the American Indian Culture and Research Journal dedicated to the indirect impact of COVID-19 on Indigenous Peoples. The first, 44.2, reports on COVID-19’s extensive impact on Indigenous Peoples and the resulting variety of responses at community and local levels. This second volume, 44.3, provides specific research and insights for improving reporting, identification, and prevention of COVID-19 cases and deaths. Several contributors to this issue respond to the urgent need to ensure, for small populations, and Indigenous Peoples in particular, that data collection provides detailed information on race and tribal nation identifiers. Like this lack of data disaggregation, data inaccuracy also impedes understanding of the impact of a pandemic. Other researchers find that a hallmark of this pandemic—the shift from in-person to virtual interactions in many aspects of life—has clarified that innovative telehealth and virtual methods already underway for Indigenous Peoples may represent the frontiers of better health care, access, and service. “Moving Forward: No Scientific Integrity without an Acknowledgment of Past Wrongs,” a commentary emphasizing the necessary actions the US government must take if progress is to be made, concludes this special issue.