CHICAGO – Government and various offices across the nation will be closed today in observation of Indigenous Peoples’ Day.
President Biden became the first US president Friday to issue a proclamation for the day.
“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.” President Biden said in the Presidential Action. “Today, we acknowledge the significant sacrifices made by Native peoples to this country — and recognize their many ongoing contributions to our Nation.”
Just ten states across the nation already officially recognize the day, including Alabama, Alaska, Hawaii, Maine, Nebraska, New Mexico, Oklahoma, Oregon, South Dakota, and Vermont.
Today, known as Columbus Day by the federal holiday calendar, brings closures to non-essential government offices, post offices, and banks.
In recent years, the holiday has come under scrutiny for Columbus’ ties to displacing and decimating the Indigenous People in the Americas
