Tell Your Legislators to Pass the Indigenous Peoples Day

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Tell Your Legislators to Pass the Indigenous Peoples’ Day Act

(Senate Bill 2970 and House Bill 5822)

The Indigenous Peoples' Day Act has been reintroduced for the 118th Session of Congress by Representative Norma J. Torres (CA-35) and Senator Martin Heinrich (NM).

UUSJ supports the interest of Native peoples throughout the U.S. in claiming the narrative around the arrival of Columbus to reflect a more accurate history while showcasing the cultures, contributions, and resilience of contemporary Native Peoples. We invite you to voice principled support for recognition and proper historical context.

Indigenous Peoples’ Day does a better job of honoring the past, present, and future of Native peoples throughout the U.S.
Indigenous Peoples’ Day recognizes the legacy and impact of colonialism on Native communities.
Indigenous Peoples’ Day began in its formal articulation at a U.N. international conference on discrimination in 1977. The first state to recognize the day was South Dakota in 1989. Then the cities of Berkeley, California, and Santa Cruz followed suit. Today 14 states and more than 130 cities celebrate the day instead of Columbus Day.

On October 8, 2021, President Joe Biden recognized Indigenous Peoples' Day by issuing a proclamation,

“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. On Indigenous Peoples’ Day, we honor America’s first inhabitants and the Tribal Nations that continue to thrive today.”

The important first step of introducing a piece of legislation to make Indigenous Peoples’ Day a legal public holiday substituting Columbus Day, has happened, as exemplified in Senate Bill 2970 and House Bill 5822.

In the House, the bill has original support from Representatives Suzanne Bonamici (OR-01), Sharice Davids (KS-03), and Suzan DelBene (WA-01) among other cosponsors.

In the Senate the bill has original support from Senators Alex Padilla (CA.), Tina Smith (MN.), Tim Kaine (VA), Elizabeth Warren (MA), Jeff Merkley (OR), Tammy Duckworth (IL), Brian Schatz (HI), John Hickenlooper (CO), Mazie Hirono (HI), Bernie Sanders (VT), and Cory Booker (NJ) among other cosponsors.

This continues to feel especially meaningful, important, and accountable for UUSJ as our work with the People vs. Fossil Fuels coalition has put us in closer collaborative proximity to Indigenous people leading advocacy and witnessing.

To this day, Native Americans deal with systemic racism and the consequences of colonization. To this day, Indigenous people are disrespected by American industry that pollutes Native lands and rivers and defiles Native properties and sacred places. This causes suffering and consequences for the physical and spiritual health of Indigenous people (The Willow Project in Alaska, The Dakota Access Pipeline in North Dakota and the Mountain Valley Pipeline in West Virginia are clear examples.)

We recognize Indigenous Peoples Day is about more than a name change. It’s a refusal to allow the genocide of millions of Indigenous people to go unnoticed and a demand for recognition of Indigenous humanity. The violence of Columbus and colonization shouldn’t be romanticized in history.

By changing the naming of the holiday, we can acknowledge the reality of our nation’s history and honor the long-standing contributions and identities of Indigenous people. We can be in solidarity for Indigenous representation, equality, and justice. In so doing, we open space for the prospect of social progress, amending how American society views our country’s first peoples, this continent’s first residents, affording all the dignity and respect that we envision as a Beloved Community.

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UU Grounding

As of General Assembly 2024, we Unitarian Universalists have agreed to “adopt new language on core religious values.” We agree that love is the power that holds us together and is at the center of our shared values. The values we share include all the following, which we hold as inseparable and deeply interconnected: Interdependence, Pluralism, Justice, Transformation, Generosity, and Equity. (Read more on the Article II revision process.) With these agreed core religious values in mind, we also ground our call for action in support of a healthy democracy in the following Unitarian Universalist Statements:

Address 400 Years of White Supremacist Colonialism, 2020 Action of Immediate Witness
End Family Separation and Detention of Asylum Seekers and Abolish ICE, 2018 Action of Immediate Witness
Thanksgiving Day Reconsidered, 2016 Business Resolution
The Doctrine of Discovery, 2012 Responsive Resolution
Moral Values for a Pluralistic Society, 2007 Statement of Conscience
Truth, Repair, and Reconciliation, 2007 Responsive Resolution
Economic Injustice, Poverty, and Racism: We Can Make a Difference!, 2000 Statement of Conscience
Resolution on Support for the Cleveland, Ohio, Native American Community, 2000 Responsive Resolution
Fair Treatment for Native Americans, 1998 Action of Immediate Witness
Solidarity with the San Carlos Apache Regarding Mt. Graham, 1997 Action of Immediate Witness
Justice for Indigenous Peoples, 1993 General Resolution
Opposing Extradition of Dennis Banks, 1976 General Resolution
Native Americans, 1975 Business Resolution
Indian Rights, 1970 Business Resolution

Tell Your Legislators
to Pass the Indigenous Peoples’ Day Act

The reintroduced Indigenous Peoples’ Day -- Senate Bill 2970 and House Bill 5822 -- honors the past, present, and future of Native peoples throughout the U.S. The holiday celebrates the cultures, contributions, and resilience of contemporary Native Americans and recognizes the legacy and impact of colonialism on their communities. It recognizes the legacy and impact of colonialism on Native communities.

This feels especially meaningful, important, and accountable for UUSJ as our work with the People vs. Fossil Fuels coalition has put us in closer collaborative proximity to Indigenous people leading advocacy and witness.

Both Chambers

Subject: Support the Indigenous Peoples' Day Act (HB.5822 and SB 2970)

Message:

As a Unitarian Universalist and your constituent, I want to ask you to support legislation to designate Indigenous Peoples' Day as a legal public holiday (H.R. 5822/S. 2970). This legislation takes an important step toward correcting the record by replacing the term "Columbus Day" with the term "Indigenous Peoples' Day." Moving to Indigenous Peoples’ Day would honor the past, present, and future of Native peoples throughout the U.S. The holiday would celebrate the cultures, contributions, and resilience of contemporary Native Americans and recognize the legacy and impact of colonialism on their communities. Indigenous Peoples Day is about more than a name change; it’s a refusal to allow the genocide of millions of Indigenous peoples to go unnoticed and recognize these communities as American. In so doing, we open space for the prospect of continued social progress, amending how our society views the country’s first peoples, this continent’s first residents, affording all Americans dignity and respect. The violence of the arrival and colonization shouldn’t be romanticized in history. By correcting the name of the holiday, we are given the opportunity to acknowledge the reality of our nation’s history, honor the long-standing contributions and identities of Indigenous peoples, and fight for Indigenous representation, equality, and justice. Please pass the Indigenous Peoples' Act (H.R. 5822 and S. 2970).

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Tell Your Legislators
to Pass the Indigenous Peoples’ Day Act

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