🧭 Columbus Day / Indigenous Peoples’ Day
Second Monday in October Grades K–5
The second Monday in October is Columbus Day, a federal holiday; many states and cities also celebrate it — or instead — as Indigenous Peoples’ Day.
📅 Next dates
- Monday, October 12, 2026
- Monday, October 11, 2027
- Monday, October 9, 2028
📖 The story
On October 12, 1492, Christopher Columbus, sailing for Spain, landed on an island in the Bahamas. Columbus Day became a federal holiday in 1937 and was especially important to Italian Americans.
Millions of people had already lived in the Americas for thousands of years. Indigenous Peoples’ Day honors Native American nations — their history, cultures and contributions — and remembers the harm many suffered after Europeans arrived. In 2021 the president issued the first presidential proclamation of Indigenous Peoples’ Day.
✨ Traditions
- Learning about the Native nations who live or lived where you do
- Learning about the voyages of exploration
- Parades and cultural events
✂️ Activities
Whose Land?
- With a grown-up, find out which Native nations lived where your town is today.
- Learn one fact about their culture, language or history.
- Share it with your class.
Columbus Day / Indigenous Peoples’ Day quiz
When did Columbus first land in the Americas?
Who lived in the Americas before Columbus arrived?
Which Monday is the holiday?
💭 Let’s write
Why is it important to hear history from more than one point of view?
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