Native American Day is a holiday observed in several US states in celebration of Native American culture. In California and Nevada, the holiday is designated on the fourth Friday of September, whereas in South Dakota and Wisconsin, it falls on the second Monday of October. Within each of these states, Native American Day honors the cultural contributions of Native American communities to the respective state's history, as well as to the overall country. The state of Washington celebrates Native American Heritage Day on the Friday immediately following the fourth Thursday in November. The state of Tennessee observes a similar American Indian Day each year on the fourth Monday of September. President George W. Bush signed into law legislation introduced by Congressman Joe Baca (D-Calif.), to designate the Friday after Thanksgiving as Native American Heritage Day.
California
| Duration | 1 day |
|---|---|
| Scheduling | nth weekday of the month |
| Frequency | annual |
| Observed by | California |
| Week ordinal | fourth |
| Weekday | Friday |
| Month | September |
| Significance | A day in honor of Native Americans |
| Date 2008 | September 26 |
| Date 2009 | September 25 |
| Date 2010 | September 24 |
| Date 2011 | September 23 |
| Date 2012 | September 28 |
In 1939, Governor Culbert Olson declared October 1 to be "Indian Day", making California the first state to honor this holiday. In 1968, Governor Ronald Reagan signed a resolution calling for a holiday called American Indian Day, to be held the Fourth Friday in September. In 1998, the California Assembly passed AB 1953, which made Native American Day an official state holiday, designated annually on the fourth Friday in September. In 2021, the State of California amended section 135 of the Code of Civil Procedure (effective January 1, 2022),[1] making Native American Day a judicial holiday; Columbus Day remains on the list of holidays in Government Code 6700,[2] but it is no longer a judicial holiday.
Nevada
In 1997, the state of Nevada also declared the Fourth Friday of September as Native American Day.[3]
South Dakota
| Duration | 1 day |
|---|---|
| Scheduling | nth weekday of the month |
| Frequency | annual |
| Observed by | South Dakota |
| Week ordinal | second |
| Weekday | Monday |
| Month | October |
| Significance | A day in honor of Native Americans |
| Date 2008 | October 13 |
| Date 2009 | October 12 |
| Date 2010 | October 11 |
| Date 2011 | October 10 |
| Date 2012 | October 8 |
In 1989, the South Dakota legislature unanimously passed legislation proposed by Governor George S. Mickelson to proclaim 1990 as the "Year of Reconciliation" between Native Americans and whites, to change Columbus Day to Native American Day and to make Martin Luther King's birthday into a state holiday.[4] Since 1990, the second Monday in October has been celebrated as Native American Day in South Dakota.
On October 3, 2017, The Proclamation of Native American day was announced by the Mayor of Sioux Falls, South Dakota. Accepting the Proclamation would be the Lakota-Dakota-Nakota representatives of Sioux Falls.
South Dakota and Vermont, which celebrates Indigenous Peoples' Day, are the only states to practice non-observance of the federal holiday of Columbus Day.
Tennessee
| Duration | 1 day |
|---|---|
| Scheduling | nth weekday of the month |
| Frequency | Annual |
| Observed by | Tennessee |
| Week ordinal | fourth |
| Weekday | Monday |
| Month | September |
| Significance | A day in honor of Native Americans |
In 1994, the state General Assembly established the "fourth Monday in September of each year" to be especially observed in Tennessee as "American Indian Day" (TCA 15-2-106), "to recognize the contributions of American Indians with suitable ceremony and fellowship designed to promote greater understanding and brotherhood between American Indians and the non-Indian people of the state of Tennessee".
Washington
In 2014, the Washington state Legislature designated the Friday immediately following the fourth Thursday in November, currently a state legal and school holiday" to be recognized and honored as "Native American Heritage Day"[5] recognize and honor Washington state's proud and resonant Native American heritage".
See also
- Indigenous Peoples' Day (United States)
- Indigenous Peoples Day (Brazil)
- Native American Heritage Day
- Native American Indian Heritage Month
- Opposition to Columbus celebrations
References
- ^ "California Code, CCP 135". leginfo.legislature.ca.gov. Retrieved 2025-09-12.
- ^ "Law section"
- ^ "Section 1. NRS 236.040". Laws of the State of Nevada. 1997. Retrieved 2 June 2017.
- ^ ""Governor George S. Mickelson"". South Dakota State Historical Society, history.sd.gov
- ^ "RCW 1.16.050: Legal holidays and legislatively recognized days". Washington State Legislature. Retrieved 2025-09-12.
External links
- California
- South Dakota
- South Dakota legislation Archived 2007-04-14 at the Wayback Machine.
- South Dakota holiday legislation