Minneapolis to now celebrate Indigenous People's Day on Columbus Day

The Minneapolis City Council passed a resolution on Friday that will now refer to October's Columbus Day holiday as Indigenous People's Day.

Hundreds visited City Hall as the council unanimously voted to pass the resolution, reports the Star Tribune. The resolution notes the city will still recognize Columbus Day since it is a federal holiday, but the city will themselves refer to the second Monday in October as Indigenous People's Day.

"This is not necessarily about Columbus," Council Member Alondra Cano commented. "He is not the center of our existence." Cano added, "This is about the power of the American Indian people and indigenous communities all over the world. We are setting the record straight."

According to the Minneapolis Post, the newly passed resolution notes that the day will be "used to reflect upon the ongoing struggles of Indigenous people on this land."

The holiday, which will be celebrated for the first time this coming October, was first suggested nearly 40 years ago by a Native Nations United Nations delegation. With little to no traction made, the move for a Indigenous People's Day was again brought up 13 years ago by representatives of 120 indigenous nations.