A total of 17 states and Washington, D.C., honor Indigenous people on the second Monday in October, according to the Pew Research Center. In six states, the holiday is recognized as a paid holiday alongside Columbus Day. Four states designated the paid holiday on its own. Seven states recognize it as an unpaid holiday. Indigenous People’s Day has been celebrated for decades under various names. Indigenous people began advocating for the day in the 1970s. The purpose of the day is to celebrate