Indigenous Peoples’ Day
Many US cities and states were celebrating Indigenous Peoples’ Day long before it went national. President Biden proclaimed October 11 Indigenous Peoples’ Day, making him the first US president to officially recognize it. It is not yet a federal holiday, but a bill in Congress aims to make it one.
In recent years, states such as Alaska and New Mexico have adopted the holiday and stopped celebrating Columbus Day. They were answering calls from Indigenous groups and other residents not to honor Christopher Columbus, the holiday's namesake. In their view, he set in motion genocide and the colonization of communities that had lived in what is now the United States for thousands of years. Still, many people across the country continue to celebrate Columbus Day, or Italian Heritage Day, as an expression of pride in Italian culture.
What is Indigenous Peoples’ Day?
Indigenous Peoples’ Day falls on the second Monday in October and honors the Indigenous communities who have lived in the United States for thousands of years. Even before the presidential proclamation, dozens of US cities and states marked the day, and more and more colleges and companies have recognized it too.
South Dakota, Alaska, Oregon and Vermont have made it an official holiday, and many other states recognize it by proclamation. Cities such as Berkeley (California), Seattle and Minneapolis were early adopters. Similar days exist under other names around the world: Canada, for example, has celebrated National Indigenous Peoples Day on June 21 since 1996.
How do Indigenous groups feel about the day?
For years, activists across the country protested Columbus Day and fought for recognition of Indigenous Peoples’ Day. Unofficial celebrations of Indigenous cultures have also taken place on the day.
The Navajo Nation, the largest tribe in the country with almost 400,000 people, has long pushed to rename the day. "Changing Columbus Day to Indigenous Peoples’ Day will encourage young Navajos to be proud of the place and the people they come from, and of the beauty they carry within them," said Jonathan Nez, President of the Navajo Nation.
Some commentators say recognizing the day is not enough, pointing out that no American president has yet explicitly apologized for how the country has treated Indigenous peoples. Others call it an important first step.
What are the biggest challenges facing Indigenous peoples?
Supporters believe the day can help draw attention to the discrimination Indigenous peoples face. Among other things, they are disproportionately affected by climate change, gender-based violence and health problems.
"There is far more attention, from both the media and the public, to the struggles and the value of Indigenous peoples than there was 50 years ago," said Jonathan Mazower, communications director at Survival International, an organization that works with Indigenous communities worldwide and campaigns for their rights.
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