Gov. Kim Reynolds issued a proclamation in 2018 declaring that the second Monday in October be acknowledged as “Indigenous Peoples' Day” in Iowa.
Traditionally, the second Monday in October was celebrated as “Columbus Day” and still is in many jurisdictions, but the name of that holiday receives criticism for seeming to celebrate the role Christopher Columbus played in the genocide of the indigenous peoples of the Americas.
"This day recognizes the land now known as the State of Iowa, named in recognition of the Iowa Tribe, as well as the language used to identify many of our lakes, rivers, cities, counties, schools, buildings and considerably more, and reflects the inherent imprint of Indigenous Peoples," said the Iowa Department of Human Rights in a statement at the time. "This land has been home to Indigenous People since time immemorial, and without whom, the building of this state would not have been possible."
After the arrival of Columbus in the Americas, the population of indigenous peoples across the continents decreased by up to 90 percent.
Read the rest of the Iowa State Daily story HERE.
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