Indigenous Peoples Day 2026
Observe Indigenous Peoples Day on the second Monday of October — Monday, October 12, 2026. Across a growing list of U.S. cities and states, the date honors Native nations, histories, and living cultures, often on the same weekday as the federal Columbus Day holiday.
About Indigenous Peoples Day
History & origins
Indigenous Peoples Day moves with the calendar. In most adopting jurisdictions it is observed on the second Monday of October, the same weekday as the federal Columbus Day holiday. In 2026 that is Monday, October 12.
South Dakota established Native Americans’ Day as a state holiday on the second Monday of October in 1990, during Governor George S. Mickelson’s Year of Reconciliation; journalist Tim Giago and others had pressed for recognition of Native peoples on the state calendar. Berkeley, California, adopted Indigenous Peoples Day in 1992, the Quincentennial year of Columbus’s first voyage, and helped popularize the name. Since then many cities and several states have added Indigenous Peoples Day or a related Native holiday by proclamation or statute. Observance is local and state-based; it is not uniformly a single federal replacement for Columbus Day nationwide.
The day is a civic and cultural observance. It is not a party date. Some communities hold teach-ins, museum programs, land acknowledgments with substance behind them, or Indigenous-led events; others simply use the Monday to learn whose land they live on and what nations are still here.
Why it matters
Federal Columbus Day never told the whole story of 1492 and after. Indigenous Peoples Day asks schools, workplaces, and neighbors to center Native peoples — past and present — instead of treating the Americas as empty until European landfall. How each city or state phrases the holiday differs; the shared point is recognition.
How to celebrate
This is not a costume day. Attend an Indigenous-led event if one is open to the public. Read work by Native authors from nations connected to your region. Support Native artists and businesses directly. Learn the name of the tribal nation(s) whose homeland you live on, and follow that with action — voting, donations, or showing up — not only a sentence. If your school or city marks the day, listen more than you speak.
Facts
- Many U.S. jurisdictions observe the day on the second Monday of October
- In 2026 the second Monday is October 12
- South Dakota created Native Americans’ Day as a state holiday in 1990
- Berkeley, California, adopted Indigenous Peoples Day in 1992
- Observance is primarily local and state-based, not one uniform federal replacement everywhere
Upcoming dates
- Monday, October 12, 2026
- Monday, October 11, 2027
- Monday, October 9, 2028
- Monday, October 8, 2029
- Monday, October 14, 2030
Frequently asked questions
When is Indigenous Peoples Day in 2026?
Indigenous Peoples Day in 2026 falls on Monday, October 12, 2026.
Is today Indigenous Peoples Day?
No. Indigenous Peoples Day in 2026 falls on Monday, October 12, 2026, not today.
What is Indigenous Peoples Day?
It is a civic observance, adopted by many U.S. cities and states, that honors Indigenous peoples of the Americas — their histories, nations, and contemporary communities — often on the second Monday of October.
Who started Indigenous Peoples Day?
There is no single founder. South Dakota’s 1990 Native Americans’ Day and Berkeley’s 1992 Indigenous Peoples Day are early milestones; many other governments later passed their own resolutions or laws.
How do you celebrate Indigenous Peoples Day?
Learn from Indigenous-led sources and events, support Native creators, and treat the day as education and recognition — not a themed party.
Is Indigenous Peoples Day an official holiday?
It is official where a city or state has adopted it by law or proclamation. It is not a single uniform U.S. federal holiday replacing Columbus Day in every jurisdiction. Check your local calendar for closures.
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