【All Out with AJ Raval (2025)】

dThe All Out with AJ Raval (2025)second Monday in October, long referred to as “Columbus Day" in recognition of the Italian navigator Christopher Columbus, has increasingly come to be recognized as “Indigenous Peoples’ Day,” in cities and states across the U.S.

In an effort to better acknowledge the atrocities committed by Columbus and his crew against Indigenous communities in the Americas, Indigenous advocates have called for the day to instead recognize and celebrate the diverse cultures and traditions of Indigenous people. The effort has been a long one; the designation of Indigenous Peoples' Day was first proposed at a United Nations conference in 1977.

The movement to change the title and focus of the day has gained momentum in recent years. Of the 13 states that officially acknowledge Indigenous Peoples’ Day, six did so for the first time this year.

1. Louisiana

Baley Champagne, a tribal citizen of the United Houma Nation, petitioned the office of Louisiana Gov. John Bel Edwards earlier this year, requesting official recognition of Indigenous Peoples' Day from the state. Her request received a response on Sept. 11, just three weeks after she filed the request, according to KALB reporting. A month later, Indigenous Peoples' Day was officially celebrated in Louisiana.

“We’re still here, but we’re not celebrated or recognized. We go unnoticed a lot,” Champagne told WAFB, a news station in Louisiana. “This proclamation brings a conversation, awareness, and recognition.”

2. Maine

Gov. Janet Mills signed a bill into law in April 2019 that would acknowledge Indigenous Peoples' Day in place of the former Columbus Day holiday within the state of Maine.

Mills called it an "overdue step forward to heal past wrongs."

3. Michigan

Gov. Gretchen Whitmer issued a proclamation calling for Michigan's acknowledgement of Indigenous Peoples' Day. The proclamation urges Michigan residents "to reflect upon the ongoing struggles of Indigenous peoples on this land, and to celebrate the thriving cultures and values that the Odawa, Ojibwe, Potawatomi, and other indigenous peoples contribute to society."

While her proclamation extends only to Indigenous Peoples' Day in 2019, legislation in the state senate has called for changing the name permanently. Major cities in Michigan already celebrate the holiday on a city level, including Detroit and Ann Arbor.

4. New Mexico

In New Mexico, a state where Native Americans comprise 10.9% of the population according to U.S. census estimates, Gov. Michelle Lujan Grisham's decision this year to recognize Indigenous Peoples' Day has big implications.

“This new holiday will mark a celebration of New Mexico’s 23 sovereign indigenous nations and the essential place of honor native citizens hold in the fabric of our great state," Lujan Grisham told CNN.

5. Wisconsin

An executive order issued by Gov. Tony Evers last week makes this year's October holiday the first to be officially recognized as Indigenous Peoples' Day in Wisconsin. Evers' executive order also advocates for changes in Wisconsin schools, encouraging the day to be seen "as an opportunity to engage students across the state on the importance of Native American history, culture and tribal sovereignty.”

6. Vermont

Vermont unofficially acknowledged Indigenous Peoples' Day since 2016, but 2019 marks the first year that Gov. Phil Scott also abolished Columbus Day.

"I think that we need to rely on history and talk about history on all different levels," Scott said to WCAX, a local station.