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Is Columbus Day, Indigenous Peoples Day a holiday in Mississippi

Vaseline October 11, 2024

Last year, the Biden administration issued a proclamation recognizing Indigenous Peoples Day for the third year in a row. The commemoration of Native American history and culture is now federally recognized, in addition to Columbus Day, which is historically celebrated on the same day.

Columbus Day has been a national holiday since 1937, but in recent years some have advocated for the day to be refocused on indigenous people rather than on explorers who brought violence and slavery with them on their journey to the Americas.

When is Columbus Day 2024?

In 2024, Indigenous Peoples Day and Columbus Day fall on Monday, October 14. The public holidays fall annually on the second Monday in October.

Post offices will close, as will many public schools. Some banks will also close. You can view the full list of closures here.

What is Indigenous Peoples’ Day?

The celebration of an Indigenous Peoples’ Day took root in 1977 at an international conference on discrimination sponsored by the United Nations. It has become a day to honor Native American peoples and commemorate their history and culture. South Dakota was the first state to recognize the day in 1989, and the California cities of Berkeley and Santa Cruz followed suit.

In 1990, the International Conference on Discrimination against Indigenous Peoples in the Americas, sponsored by the United Nations, began discussing replacing Columbus Day with Indigenous Peoples’ Day. California and Tennessee celebrate Native American Day in September, not conflicting with Columbus Day.

Scott Stevens, director of the Native American and Indigenous Studies Program at Syracuse University, said Indigenous Peoples Day is as much about the resilience of what past cultures have endured as it is about honoring heritage.

“It is the recognition of our survival and, in many cases, resistance and even flourishing,” Stevens told USA TODAY. “There are still many social and economic problems facing indigenous communities. There is also the idea that American Indians and Native Americans are all one people. But we have diversity and our cultures are vastly different. One thing we all have in common is that our ancestors suffered under American colonialism, so it serves as an opportunity where we can turn to each other in unity.”

Is Columbus Day a holiday in Mississippi?

Columbus Day is not recognized as a holiday in Mississippi. About 29 states and Washington, D.C. do not celebrate Columbus Day. According to renamecolumbusday.org, approximately 216 cities have renamed or replaced the day with Indigenous Peoples Day. Some states recognize Indigenous Peoples’ Day through a proclamation, while others consider it an official holiday.