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Celebrating Indigenous Peoples’ Day

Wednesday, October 5, 2022

In 1977, Indigenous Peoples’ Day was proposed by a delegation of Native Nations to the United Nations. Finally, in 2015, the City of Portland joined several other U.S. cities in formally recognizing the second Monday in October as Indigenous Peoples’ Day, and in 2021, the Oregon Legislature passed a bill that now recognizes Indigenous Peoples’ Day statewide.  

The bill, brought forth by the legislature’s only Indigenous lawmakers, Rep. Tawna Sanchez, D-Portland, and Rep. Teresa Alonso-Leon, D-Woodburn, aims to recognize the significant contributions that Native Americans have made to the U.S., and in particular the contributions of Oregon’s nine federally recognized tribes to the state.  

According to Illuminative, a national, Native-led nonprofit committed to amplifying contemporary Native voices, “Celebrating Indigenous Peoples’ Day is an important part of our movement— it is an opportunity to recognize and celebrate Native peoples, our resiliency and our future, in the present.”   

On Monday, October 10, join us in celebrating, acknowledging and honoring the contributions, histories and cultures of American Indian, Alaska Native and Indigenous communities. This is the first year CCC is recognizing the day as paid holiday.

How to celebrate: 

Read about what Indigenous People’s Day means to Native people from NPR 

Support local Native-owned businesses 

Learn more about Oregon’s federally recognized tribes  

Learn about Native American land, languages and treaties with this interactive map 

Enjoy Indigenous entertainment—CCC employee Sarah Acuna recommends the movie The Watchman’s Canoe, which was filmed in Coos Bay 

Read five ideas for celebrating Indigenous Peoples’ Day from Smithsonian National Museum of the American Indian 

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