Monday, Oct. 11th, is Indigenous Peoples’ Day in Chapel Hill, and everyone is encouraged to consider and celebrate the impacts indigenous people have had on our community and our nation.

The Chapel Hill Town Council adopted a resolution in 2015 recognizing the second Monday in October as Indigenous Peoples' Day in Chapel Hill. 

An excerpt of the resolution: “The Town of Chapel Hill recognizes the fact that Orange County, NC, is built upon the homelands and villages of the Indigenous Peoples of this region; and our region is home to many immigrants who are members of Indigenous Communities throughout México, Central America, and South America who have brought their ancestral languages, traditions, and cultures to our region.” 

Indigenous Peoples’ Day was first proposed in 1977 by the delegation of Native Nations to the United Nations. It wasn’t until 2010 that the United States endorsed a United Nations declaration that recognized “indigenous peoples have suffered from historic injustices as a result of … their colonization and dispossession of their lands, territories, and resources.”

Residents are encouraged to learn more about the richness of American Indian cultures, and we invite you to find out more about UNC-Chapel Hill’s American Indian Center at https://americanindiancenter.unc.edu/.

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