
October 12th, 2026
Indigenous Peoples Day celebrates the history and culture of Native peoples.
It also draws attention to the challenges they still face.
Former President Joe Biden officially commemorated the day in 2021.
More states and cities have recognized it since then.
Many have moved away from honoring explorer Christopher Columbus.
The day is usually observed on the second Monday in October.
That is the same day as Columbus Day, a federal holiday.
Columbus Day was created to recognize Italian Americans and Columbus's 1492 sighting of the Americas.
Biden said the day honors America's first inhabitants and the Tribal Nations that thrive today.
In recent years, the day has been marked by protests.
People have protested against memorials to Columbus and pushed for environmental justice.
Others have called for the return of Indigenous lands.
Some aim to raise awareness about missing and murdered Indigenous women.
President Donald Trump has said he will not recognize Indigenous Peoples Day alongside Columbus Day.
Indigenous Peoples Day is not a federal holiday.
Some states and Washington, D.C., have holidays honoring Indigenous people.
Some of these fall on the second Monday in October.
The day is often paired with Columbus Day or replaces it.
Many cities and school systems observe it too.
Biden said federal policies had long tried to assimilate and displace Native people and erase their cultures.
He praised Indigenous resilience and their impact on American society.
October 12th, 2026

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