They have the power to act—We have the power to demand it!
📣 What You Can Do
📢 CALL AND/OR 📩 EMAIL COUNCIL MEMBERS. GO TO: https://ipdphilly.org/reinstate-ipd-now/#take-action
📢 Public Statement
[ Disclaimer / Trigger Warning!
The content of this statement contains true facts that may be emotionally triggering, and we ask you to first take care of yourself. ]
WHY, it is important to address the gruesome act of ethnic cleansing that “The City”, “The Church” and “Columbus Day” perpetrates in Philadelphia?
- On October 12, 1492, Christopher Columbus landed on an island he named San Salvador, which is also recognized by its Taíno name, Guanahani, in the Bahamas. On November 19, 1493, during his second voyage, he arrived in Puerto Rico—known as Borinquen to its Indigenous inhabitants. Columbus claimed this island for Spain, branding it San Juan Bautista. On his Third Voyage in 1498, Columbus made landfall on the island of Trinidad known by the Arawak people as Kairi or Lere, and briefly in the Paria Peninsula, in present-day Venezuela.
His arrival to those territories marked the onset of Spanish colonization, which resulted in a drastic decline of the Taíno, and Arawak populations. The Taíno perspective, informed by their experiences, asserts that Columbus initiated a period of genocide, cultural destruction, slavery, and widespread suffering for the Indigenous peoples of the Caribbean. Today, Philadelphia boasts one of the largest Puerto Rican populations in the continental United States, with many residents proudly identifying as Taíno.
- In 1892, the Samuel George Morton Cranial Collection, held by the Penn Museum in Philadelphia, sent 44 Native American “crania” of ancestors to Spain in 1892 for an exhibit celebrating the 400th anniversary of Columbus’s voyage to the “New World”. These ancestors were part of Morton’s collection, which has been criticized for being unethical and is being considered for repatriation by the museum.
At that time, there was likely little public outcry, as Native Americans were viewed as adversaries by the expanding Euro-American settler colonial society from 1609-1924. Hundred of tribes were loosing control over their territories against the encroachment of the U.S. Army, and were forced onto reservations, (concentration camps) or removed from their homelands. Additionally, their children were often taken and sent to infamous Indian boarding schools, while parents faced imprisonment if they resisted. It is well known today that the Catholic Church played a significant role in enforcing these horrific policies.
It is also known that the Catholic Church and other Christian denominations in the USA that often perpetrates the legacy of Columbus, is largely influenced by three Papal Bulls (decrees) that granted Portugal and Spain the right to conquer and colonize non-Christian lands and subjugate the people found there. These papal bulls were used by European powers to provide religious justification for their actions, which included seizing land and forcing conversions. These Papal Bulls also known as The Doctrine of Discovery were later incorporated into the laws of several countries, including the United States.
- In 1992, to celebrate the 500th anniversary of Columbus’s voyage, the city of Philadelphia chose to rename a section of Delaware Avenue to Columbus Boulevard. This decision was made in honor of Italian-American heritage, despite the fact that the original inhabitants of the area are the Lenape tribes (also known as the Delaware). This act of Indigenous erasure (cultural genocide), was met with great opposition and protest by the Native American community and allies. It is reported that the general public, opposed the change, with signs for the street being defaced for years following the event.
- On August 6, 2025, the Pennsylvania Commonwealth Court overturned Mayor Jim Kenney’s 2021 executive order recognizing Indigenous Peoples’ Day as an official holiday in Philadelphia. The ruling (No. 516 C.D. 2023) declared that only City Council—not the Mayor—can establish or rename official City holidays. By default, Columbus Day was reinstated. (Inquirer / Fox29).
This decision is a deeply troubling setback for cultural recognition and undermines Philadelphia’s commitment to equity and inclusion.
💗 Why This Matters / A Growing Movement
Since October 12th, 2017, Indigenous Peoples’ Day Philly (IPD Philly) has hosted this annual celebration in the city. In 2019 we relocated to the historic Shackamaxon (Penn Treaty) Park—bringing together families, storytellers, singers, dancers, and educators to honor Lenape homelands and Indigenous communities from across the Americas and Caribbean.
Philadelphia is home to more than 23,000 Native people. Recognizing Indigenous Peoples’ Day as an official city holiday is not symbolic—it is restorative. It affirms the contributions, resilience, and dignity of Indigenous Peoples who continue to shape this city.
The movement is growing rapidly. Many Philadelphians observe Indigenous Peoples’ Day, either on the day itself or in the lead-up. Here are some groups that are making Indigenous Peoples’ Day a vibrant and meaningful movement:
- Since 2022, the Philadelphia School District, observes Indigenous Peoples’ Day on the second Monday in October. Their focus is on engaging students in learning about Indigenous peoples cultures and histories.
- Since 2018, the Museum of the American Revolution has hosted the Indigenous Peoples’ Weekend Celebration, which takes place from the second Saturday through Monday of every October. This event is led in collaboration with the Oneida Nation and Delaware Tribe of Indians, two federally recognized tribes.
- Since 2011, the Native Nations Dance Theater, in collaboration with Ollin Yoliztli Calmecac, has celebrated Philadelphia Indigenous Peoples’ Day on the 1st Saturday of October. In 2021, they moved their celebrations to the second Sunday in October at Bartram’s Garden.
😎 What We’re Doing
We are building an alliance, working on an ordinance, and engaging with city council members to take decisive action to reinstate the official Indigenous Peoples’ Day (IPD) as an official city holiday, to be observed on the second Monday of every October.
An ordinance is not just about a date on the calendar. It is about telling the full truth of Philadelphia’s history and building a future grounded in respect, unity, and justice.
🤗 What else you can do?
- Sign up to our mailing to engage in our next actions → [link]
- Want to Help with this campaign, Volunteer → [link]
🥁 Join Us on Monday October 12th, 2026
Next year will mark our 10th annual Indigenous Peoples’ Day celebration and it will be again at the historic Shackamaxon (Penn Treaty) Park. We invite you, your families, and your communities to stand with us in celebration, resistance, and unity.
EVENT NAME: Indigenous Peoples’ Day Philly 2026
LOCATION: Shackamaxon (Penn Treaty) Park – 1301 N Beach St, Philadelphia, PA 19125
SAFE THE DATE: Monday, Oct 12, 2026
TO RECEIVE INFORMATION FOLLOW US ON FACEBOOK AND INSTAGRAM!
📣 Closing
This fight goes beyond a holiday; it is about whether Philadelphia will choose to honor truth over myth, unity over division, and justice over erasure.
We call on every Philadelphian—Native and non-Native, immigrant, and ally—to demand that the City Council reinstate Indigenous Peoples’ Day as an official city holiday on the second Monday of every October.
Together, we can make Indigenous Peoples’ Day a permanent part of Philadelphia’s civic life, honoring the original stewards of this land while embracing the full diversity of our city.
Stand with us. Sign on. Show up. Contact your Council members. This is our moment to make history.
— IPD PHILLY TEAM
#IndigenousPeoplesDayPhiladelphia #PhillyForTruth #ReinstateIPD #TruthAndReconciliation #IndigenousJustice