#IndigenousPeoplesDay campaigns to replace Columbus Day (Oct 2nd Monday) with a holiday honoring Indigenous peoples, challenging the celebration of colonization and genocide.
Movement growth:
- 1992: Berkeley, CA first city to adopt (500th anniversary of Columbus voyage)
- 2014: Seattle, Minneapolis adopt; hashtag gains traction
- 2021: President Biden first U.S. president to officially recognize Indigenous Peoples Day (proclamation alongside Columbus Day)
As of 2023: 17 states, 130+ cities celebrate Indigenous Peoples Day instead of/alongside Columbus Day.
Arguments:
- Pro-change: Columbus initiated genocide, enslavement; celebrating him erases Indigenous history and ongoing struggles
- Opposition: Italian-American heritage groups argue Columbus represents immigrant contributions; traditionalists see it as “cancel culture”
Annual activism: Every October, #IndigenousPeoplesDay trends with educational content on pre-colonial civilizations, Indigenous contributions, and contemporary issues.
The campaign represents broader reckoning with settler colonialism, similar to statue removal movements (#TearThemDown, #RhodesMustFall).
Sources:
- Smithsonian Indigenous Peoples Day resources:
- Not Your Mascots campaign:
- State/city adoption tracker: https://www.hcn.org/