Columbus Day is the next federal holiday, recognized on the second Monday of October, which falls on Oct. 13 this year. However, now an increasing number of states and cities now mark it as Indigenous Peoples Day instead.
The shift in recognising holidays reflects a growing effort to recognize Native American history and resilience over honoring Christopher Columbus, whose legacy is tied to colonization and violence against Indigenous peoples. Some states and cities switched in recent years celebrate Indigenous Peoples’ Day instead of Columbus Day in light of Columbus’s legacy of colonization. Here’s everything to know about Columbus Day and Indigenous Peoples’ Day 2025.
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Is it Columbus Day or Indigenous Peoples’ Day?
Columbus Day has been a national holiday since 1937 to celebrate the contributions of Italian-Americans. However, a growing number of people have advocated Indigenous People should be recognized instead, citing Italian explorer Christopher Columbus’ use of violence and slavery to subjugate the native people he encountered after landing in the Americas in 1492.
Although the Biden administration issued a proclamation calling Indigenous Peoples Day a federally recognized holiday alongside Columbus Day, it remains doubtful President Donald Trump will acknowledge it.
In April, Trump made a social media post saying he would bring “Columbus Day back from the ashes,” adding that he was “reinstating Columbus Day under the same rules, dates, and locations.”On October 9, 2025 Trump issued a proclamation that Monday, Oct. 13 is Columbus Day.”This Columbus Day, we honor his life with reverence and gratitude, and we pledge to reclaim his extraordinary legacy of faith, courage, perseverance, and virtue from the left-wing arsonists who have sought to destroy his name and dishonor his memory,” the proclamation said. Columbus Day, however, never disappeared from the federal list of holidays. It’s been recognized for decades.
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When is Columbus Day?
Monday, Oct. 13, is the date Columbus Day will be observed in 2025.
When is Indigenous Peoples’ Day 2025?
Indigenous Peoples’ Day is also Monday, Oct. 13.
Is Columbus Day a federal holiday in US?
Yes. Columbus Day is one of 11 federal holidays recognized by the U.S. Office of Personnel Management. Some argue it celebrates Italian American heritage, while others say it glorifies an exploration that led to the genocide of native peoples.
“To have had American colonialism looked at throughout history as not being a problem and celebrated as a good thing is deeply problematic to any of us who live in a (Native-American) community or reservation,” Scott Stevens, the director of the Native American and Indigenous Studies Program at Syracuse University, previously told USA TODAY.
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Is Indigenous Day a federal holiday?
No, Indigenous Peoples’ Day is not a federal holiday, meaning the U.S. government does not recognize the day as an official holiday.
However, certain cities and states celebrate Indigenous Peoples’ Day as an official holiday. In New England, Vermont and Maine formally observe Indigenous Peoples’ Day instead of Columbus Day, and Rhode Island celebrates both.
Columbus Day vs. Indigenous Peoples’ Day
For decades, Columbus Day has faced growing criticism and protests over the treatment of Indigenous peoples by Italian explorer Christopher Columbus.
In 2021, former President Joe Biden marked a historic shift by issuing the first presidential proclamation for Indigenous Peoples’ Day, celebrated on the same date as Columbus Day.
On Oct. 9, 2025, President Donald Trump pushed back, signing a proclamation reaffirming Columbus Day. He called critics of the holiday “slanderers of the original American hero.”
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“Outrageously, in recent years, Christopher Columbus has been a prime target of a vicious and merciless campaign to erase our history, slander our heroes, and attack our heritage,” the proclamation states.
Today, the nation remains deeply divided. Some states and cities continue to honor Columbus Day, others have replaced it with Indigenous Peoples’ Day, and a few celebrate both holidays simultaneously, reflecting the ongoing debate over history, heritage, and recognition.
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