Today millions of Americans around the country recognize and celebrate Indigenous Peoples' Day and Columbus Day. Indigenous Peoples' Day honors and recognizes the invaluable contributions, histories, and resilience of Native communities. This day also offers us the opportunity to reflect on the persisting violence inflicted on Native people and policies that sought to eradicate or assimilate them for generations. Indigenous Peoples' Day was formally declared a national holiday through a presidential proclamation by President Biden on October 11, 2021.
"On Indigenous Peoples’ Day, we honor Indigenous peoples’ strength, courage, and resilience. We celebrate the vast contributions of Indigenous communities to the world. And we recommit to respecting Tribal sovereignty and self-determination and working to usher in a new era of our Nation-to-Nation relationships."
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