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- By Native News Online Staff
Happy Indigenous Peoples' Day! It's a good day to be Indigenous!
Here are some of the recent articles from Native News Online you may have missed this past weekend:
Indigenous Peoples' Day Events
Indigenous Peoples’ Day, observed on October 13, 2025, is a time to recognize the history, culture, and ongoing contributions of Indigenous peoples across the United States.
The day serves as a response to Columbus Day, shifting the focus from colonization to survival, self-determination, and the continued presence of Native nations.
Next on Native Bidaské: Indigenous Peoples' Day Should Be About Truth
As the nation observes Indigenous Peoples' Day, Navajo activist and author Mark Charles is urging Americans to move beyond symbolic gestures and confront the deeper truths of this country’s history.
In a conversation with Native Bidaské host Levi Rickert, Charles emphasized that replacing Columbus Day with Indigenous Peoples' Day doesn’t go far enough.
Charles pointed to the Doctrine of Discovery as one of those foundations — a centuries-old set of church doctrines used to justify the colonization of Indigenous lands. He described it as a dehumanizing legacy that still shapes U.S. laws and attitudes today.
Thousands to Gather Before Sunrise on Indigenous Peoples' Day
The International Indian Treaty Council will host its annual Indigenous Peoples’ Day sunrise gathering on Monday, October 13, 2025.
This annual event, hosted by the International Indian Treaty Council (IITC), began as an alternative to Columbus Day celebrations and, at the same time, to honor the occupation of Alcatraz from 1969-1971 by Indians of All Tribes, to protest forced assimilation, displacement, loss of land, language, and culture.
National Museum of the American Indian Closes Amid Federal Government Shutdown
On Sunday, the Smithsonian announced its temporary closure on X, adding that its social media accounts will likely remain inactive until the federal government reopens. The closure affects all Smithsonian institutions, including the National Museum of the American Indian in Washington, D.C., and New York City.
The National Museum of the American Indian’s website features the following message at the top of its homepage:
"Due to the government shutdown, our museums in Washington, DC, and New York are temporarily closed. Programs and events at both locations are canceled. Visit si.edu for updates."
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