Indigenous Peoples' Day (United States)

For the holiday in Canada, see National Indigenous Peoples Day.

Indigenous Peoples' Day
Celebration in Berkeley, California, 2012
Also calledFirst People's Day or Native American Day
Observed byVarious states and municipalities in the Americas on the second Monday in October, in lieu of Columbus Day
TypeEthnic
SignificanceA day in honor of Native Indigenous Americans in opposition to the celebration of Columbus Day.
DateVaries
FrequencyAnnual
First timeOctober 11, 1992
Related toNational Indigenous Peoples Day in Canada

Indigenous Peoples' Day[a] is a holiday in the United States that celebrates and honors Indigenous American peoples and commemorates their histories and cultures.[1] It is celebrated across the United States on the second Monday in October, and is an official city and state holiday in various localities. It began as a counter-celebration held on the same day as the U.S. federal holiday of Columbus Day, which honors Italian explorer Christopher Columbus. It is celebrated as an alternative to Columbus Day, citing the lasting harm Indigenous tribes suffered because of Columbus's contributions to the European colonization of the Americas.[2]

The roots of the holiday can be traced back to discussions and propositions regarding instituting it as a replacement for Columbus Day that took place in 1977 during The International NGO Conference on Discrimination Against Indigenous Populations in the Americas in Geneva, Switzerland.[3] In 2021, Joe Biden formally commemorated the holiday with a presidential proclamation, becoming the first U.S. president to do so, and presidential proclamations have also been issued in 2022, 2023, and 2024.[4][5][6][7][8] Indigenous Peoples’ Day is not a recognized holiday under U.S. Federal Law.


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  1. ^ Delkic, Melina; Betts, Anna (October 8, 2023). "Indigenous Peoples' Day, Explained". The New York Times. Retrieved October 12, 2023.
  2. ^ "Goodbye, Columbus. Hello, Indigenous Peoples Day". HISTORY. Retrieved October 4, 2018.
  3. ^ "Indigenous Peoples Day". ipdpowwow.org.
  4. ^ Delkic, Melina; Betts, Anna (October 8, 2023). "Indigenous Peoples' Day, Explained". The New York Times. Retrieved October 12, 2023. Two years after President Biden became the first U.S. president to formally commemorate Indigenous Peoples' Day, more than a dozen states recognize some version of the holiday in lieu of Columbus Day.
  5. ^ "A Proclamation on Indigenous Peoples' Day, 2021". The White House. October 8, 2021. Retrieved October 12, 2023.
  6. ^ "A Proclamation on Indigenous Peoples' Day, 2022". The White House. October 7, 2022. Retrieved October 12, 2023.
  7. ^ "A Proclamation on Indigenous Peoples' Day, 2023". The White House. October 6, 2023. Retrieved October 12, 2023.
  8. ^ "A Proclamation on Indigenous Peoples' Day, 2024". The White House. October 11, 2024. Retrieved November 18, 2024.