Indigenous Peoples’ Day came about as an alternative to Columbus Day in the late 1980s. It is a holiday that aims to celebrate Native Americans and indigenous populations across the United States. The holiday, celebrated Oct. 14, is gaining popularity in more cities and states across the country.
UNC-Chapel Hill history professor Malinda Maynor Lowery, who also serves as director of the University’s Center for the Study of the American South, shares the history of the holiday.