Which states are celebrating Indigenous Peoples’ Day as an official holiday

Indigenous
Peoples’ Day is being officially celebrated across the United States instead of
or in addition to Columbus Day on Monday. Many states have officially
ditched Columbus Day while others are celebrating it along with Indigenous
Peoples’ Day to recognise the native populations that were displaced and
decimated after Christopher Columbus and other European explorers reached the
continent in the 15th century and later.

President
Joe Biden issued a proclamation commemorating Indigenous Peoples’ Day, becoming
the first President of the country to do so. “On Indigenous Peoples’ Day, our
Nation celebrates the invaluable contributions and resilience of Indigenous
peoples, recognizes their inherent sovereignty, and commits to honoring the
Federal Government’s trust and treaty obligations to Tribal Nations,” Biden
said through the proclamation.

Many cities
and states across the country are ditching the federal holiday celebrated in
the name of Columbus.

Here are
the states that celebrate Indigenous Peoples’ Day instead or with Columbus
Day:

Alabama: The
state of Alabama celebrates American Indian Heritage Day with Columbus Day.

Alaska: The
State of Alaska observes Indigenous Peoples’ Day since 2015 and it was made an
official holiday in 2017.

Hawaii:
Hawaii celebrates Discoverers’ Day in place of Columbus Day. The holiday is
celebrated as a day “in recognition of the Polynesian discoverers of the
Hawaiian Islands.”

Maine: The
state of Maine observes Indigenous Peoples’ Day since 2019.

Nebraska: The
state of Nebraska has recoganised  Indigenous
Peoples’ Day in addition to Columbus Day starting this year.

New Mexico:
The state of New Mexico observes Indigenous Peoples’ Day since the year 2019.

Oklahoma:
In 2019, the state voted to move Native American Day to the same day as
Columbus Day so the two are celebrated together.

Oregon: The
state of Oregon passed a law in 2021 designating the second Monday in the month
of October as Indigenous Peoples’ Day.

South
Dakota: The state has observed Native American Day since 1990.

Vermont: The
state passed a law in 2019 replacing Columbus Day with Indigenous Peoples’ Day.