NEW YORK, NY—On August 9, Google invited Indigenous people across the world to take time to add local geographic and commercial features to its online maps. The company, in partnership with the National Congress of American Indians, made the day its first-ever Indigenous Mapping Day.

Participants had to have a Google account in order to edit or add to maps represented on the popular Google Maps and Google Earth. Participants also needed to be affiliated with the tribe whose community they planned to map.

Many U.S. tribal communities lack accurate mapping of roads, buildings and other serv...