More cities celebrating ‘Indigenous Peoples Day’ amid effort to abolish Columbus Day

For the past 81 years, Americans have celebrated Columbus Day on the second Monday of October. That won’t change this year, but a growing number of cities are seeking to abolish the traditional holiday and replace it with a day that acknowledges and celebrates the millions of people who were already living here when Christopher Columbus arrived.

This year, the recast holiday known as Indigenous Peoples Day will take place in at least nine cities across the United States, including in Albuquerque, N.M., Anadarko, Okla., Portland, Ore., St. Paul, Minn., and Olympia, Wash., according to the Associated Press.

Last year, the Seattle City Council unanimously voted to change the federal Columbus Day holiday to Indigenous Peoples Day, making it the second major U.S. city after Minneapolis to adopt the change, according to Reuters.

A beautiful hand drum song in honor of #indigenouspeoplesday at @multco board mtg pic.twitter.com/JvqLBOfq7C

— Multnomah County, OR (@multco) October 8, 2015

Celebrating Hitler Day, Oh I mean Columbus Day https://t.co/OcjVuFUjEu #INDIGENOUS #TAIRP pic.twitter.com/VnkV7sffUI

— Indigenous (@AmericanIndian8) October 11, 2015

The proposal put forward to recognize Indigenous People's Day on Oct 12 would not replace Christopher Columbus Day. pic.twitter.com/48T07334QA

— Mayor Ivy R Taylor (@IvyRTaylor) October 11, 2015

Native American Activists Ramp Up Push To Rebrand Columbus Day http://t.co/SK70wmShI9 #tcot #p2 pic.twitter.com/i3tv1NSvfk

— Blue DuPage (@BlueDuPage) October 11, 2015

At parade calling on @marty_walsh to declare Indigenous People's Day. Columbus was a murderer, not a hero pic.twitter.com/eI3oey3AhD

— Emily Kirkland (@ERKirkland) October 11, 2015

Take That, #ColumbusDay! Celebrate NY Indigenous Peoples Day Mon. & Pow Wow This Weekend - http://t.co/gr3zyIKbY6 pic.twitter.com/Ia87c70lUu

— Vincent Schilling (@VinceSchilling) October 6, 2015

Cities of Anderson, Redding, and Shasta Lake name October 17th, 2015 "Shasta County Indigenous People’s History Day". pic.twitter.com/h1a4VfO7QT

— Shasta Historical (@ShastaHistory) October 7, 2015

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