Montgomery Co. Replaces Columbus Day With Indigenous Peoples Day

ROCKVILLE, MD — Montgomery County is ditching Columbus Day and instead calling it Indigenous Peoples Day.

Monday, Oct. 12, 2020, is the first Indigenous Peoples Day officially recognized in the county.

It joins a growing number of states and cities across America that are officially recognizing Native Americans and indigenous populations, including Iowa, Minnesota, Wisconsin, and the cities of Rockville and Takoma Park.

"This proclamation marks a long overdue change in how we celebrate the second Monday in October," said County Executive Marc Elrich. "As our county grapples with racial and social justice inequities, we need to recognize that too much of the story of this country has been misrepresented, and it is time to correct that story. This country was not 'discovered' by Christopher Columbus; it was already occupied by people with a rich collection of knowledge, stories, and practices.

"Observing Indigenous Peoples Day recognizes the original occupants of these lands, their cultures, and the sacrifices they were forced to make."

A number of Native American tribes, recognized by the Maryland Commission on Indian Affairs, live in Maryland — including the Accohannock Indian Tribe; the Assateague Peoples Tribe; the Nause-Waiwash Band of Indians; the Piscataway Conoy Tribes; and the Pocomoke Indian Nation.