Indigenous Peoples Day: A Law And Its History

Indigenous Peoples' Day is a holiday in the United States that celebrates and honours Indigenous American peoples and commemorates their histories and cultures. It is celebrated across the country on the second Monday in October and is an official city and state holiday in various localities. Despite being recognised by President Biden in 2021, it is not a federal holiday under US law.

Indigenous Peoples' Day is not a federal holiday under US law

Indigenous Peoples' Day is a holiday in the United States that celebrates and honours Indigenous American peoples and commemorates their histories and cultures. It is observed annually on the second Monday in October.

The roots of the holiday can be traced back to discussions and propositions regarding instituting it as a replacement for Columbus Day, which took place in 1977 during The International NGO Conference on Discrimination Against Indigenous Populations in the Americas in Geneva, Switzerland. In 1992, the city council of Berkeley, California, symbolically renamed Columbus Day as "Indigenous Peoples Day" to protest the historical conquest of North America by Europeans and to call attention to the losses suffered by Native Americans.

Since then, other local governments and institutions have either renamed or cancelled Columbus Day, either to celebrate Native American history and cultures, or to avoid celebrating Christopher Columbus and the European colonisation of the Americas. Several other California cities, including Richmond, Santa Cruz, and Sebastopol, now celebrate Indigenous Peoples Day.

In 2020, Columbus, Ohio, renamed the holiday Indigenous Peoples' Day, but Columbus, Georgia, has retained the original name. As of May 2023, Washington D.C. has yet to pass permanent legislation to rename Columbus Day to Indigenous Peoples' Day.

Joe Biden formally recognised the holiday in 2021

Indigenous Peoples' Day is a holiday in the United States that celebrates and honours Indigenous American peoples and commemorates their histories and cultures. It is celebrated annually on the second Monday in October and is an official city and state holiday in various localities.

Indigenous Peoples' Day is not a recognised holiday under US federal law. However, in 2021, Joe Biden formally recognised the holiday with a presidential proclamation, becoming the first US president to do so. In the proclamation, Biden acknowledged the country's history of violence and devastation against Indigenous peoples, and the immeasurable positive impact that they have made on every aspect of American society. He also encouraged Americans to celebrate and recognise the many Indigenous communities and cultures that make up the United States.

The roots of the holiday can be traced back to discussions and propositions in 1977 regarding replacing Columbus Day with a celebration of Indigenous Peoples' Day. In 1992, the city council of Berkeley, California, declared October 12 as a "Day of Solidarity with Indigenous People" and symbolically renamed Columbus Day as "Indigenous Peoples Day". Since then, other local governments and institutions have followed suit, either renaming or cancelling Columbus Day.

Biden's proclamation in 2021 was a significant boost to efforts to refocus the federal holiday celebrating Christopher Columbus towards an appreciation of Native peoples. The day was observed on October 11, 2021, along with Columbus Day. In a separate proclamation on Columbus Day, Biden acknowledged the contributions of Italian Americans to US society but also referenced the violence and harm inflicted on Indigenous communities by Columbus and other European explorers.

Subsequent presidential proclamations for Indigenous Peoples' Day have been issued in 2022, 2023, and 2024.

It is celebrated on the second Monday in October

Indigenous Peoples' Day is celebrated on the second Monday in October. It is a holiday in the United States that celebrates and honours Indigenous American peoples and commemorates their histories and cultures. It is not a federal holiday under US law and is not enshrined in law as an official, permanent public holiday. However, it is celebrated across the United States and is an official city and state holiday in various localities.

The holiday began as a counter-celebration to Columbus Day, which falls on the same day and honours Italian explorer Christopher Columbus. Indigenous Peoples' Day is celebrated as an alternative to Columbus Day, citing the harm inflicted on Indigenous tribes because of Columbus's contributions to the European colonisation of the Americas.

The roots of the holiday can be traced back to discussions and propositions regarding replacing Columbus Day that took place in 1977 during the International NGO Conference on Discrimination Against Indigenous Populations in the Americas in Geneva, Switzerland. In 1992, the city council of Berkeley, California, declared October 12 as a "Day of Solidarity with Indigenous People" and symbolically renamed Columbus Day as "Indigenous Peoples Day". Since then, Berkeley has celebrated Indigenous Peoples Day every year and has held an annual powwow and festival on this day.

In 2021, Joe Biden formally commemorated the holiday with a presidential proclamation, becoming the first US president to do so. Presidential proclamations have also been issued in 2022, 2023, and 2024. As of May 2023, Washington D.C. has yet to pass permanent legislation to rename Columbus Day to Indigenous Peoples' Day.

It is a counter-celebration to Columbus Day

Indigenous Peoples' Day is a counter-celebration to Columbus Day, which is held on the same day, the second Monday in October. It is not a federal holiday under US law but is celebrated in more than 130 cities and over a dozen US states.

Columbus Day is a federal holiday that celebrates Italian explorer Christopher Columbus, who, in 1492, set sail with a fleet of three ships: the Niña, the Pinta, and the Santa Maria. He made landfall in the Americas, sparking an era of European exploration and colonisation. However, this has been criticised as a celebration of a man whose arrival in the Americas heralded the oppression of another group of people: Native Americans.

Indigenous Peoples' Day arose as an alternative to Columbus Day, honouring and celebrating Indigenous American peoples and commemorating their histories and cultures. It was first celebrated in Berkeley, California, in 1992, as a "Day of Solidarity with Indigenous People". The city council implemented related programs in schools, libraries, and museums. Berkeley has celebrated Indigenous Peoples Day ever since, and other cities and states have followed suit.

In 2021, Joe Biden formally commemorated the holiday with a presidential proclamation, becoming the first US president to do so. In his proclamation, he stated:

> "On Indigenous Peoples’ Day, we honor America’s first inhabitants and the Tribal Nations that continue to thrive today. I encourage everyone to celebrate and recognize the many Indigenous communities and cultures that make up our great country."

It is a worldwide celebration

Indigenous Peoples' Day is a celebration that has spread worldwide, with many countries now recognising their own native diversity and the unique qualities and cultures of various tribes, clans, and peoples. It is a day to honour the perseverance and courage of Indigenous peoples, show gratitude for their contributions to our world, and renew our commitment to respecting their sovereignty and self-determination.

The history of Indigenous Peoples' Day can be traced back to discussions in 1977 at the International NGO Conference on Discrimination Against Indigenous Populations in the Americas in Geneva, Switzerland. The conference proposed replacing Columbus Day in the Americas with a celebration known as Indigenous Peoples Day. This proposal was driven by the recognition that Columbus's "discovery" of inhabited lands and the subsequent European colonisation resulted in the genocide of thousands of Indigenous peoples.

Since then, the movement to replace or counter-celebrate Columbus Day has gained momentum, particularly in North America. In the United States, Indigenous Peoples' Day is celebrated on the second Monday in October and has been officially recognised by more than a dozen states and over 130 cities. While it is not a federal holiday under US law, the Biden Administration has issued presidential proclamations recognising the holiday in 2021, 2022, 2023, and 2024.

The spread of Indigenous Peoples' Day beyond the United States demonstrates its growing global significance. For example, Brazil celebrates "National Indigenous Peoples Day" on April 19, and Taiwan designated August 1 as Indigenous Peoples Day in 2016. In the Philippines, the National Commission on Indigenous Peoples designated October 29, 1987, as Indigenous Peoples Day. Additionally, the United Nations declared August 9 as the International Day of the World's Indigenous People, which is celebrated in various nations worldwide.

As Indigenous Peoples' Day continues to gain recognition, it serves as a reminder of the diverse cultures and histories of Indigenous peoples worldwide. It is a day to honour their resilience, strength, and contributions, as well as to raise awareness of the challenges they have faced and continue to face.

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