SIOUX FALLS, S.D. (KELO) – President Donald Trump recently made clear his administration would not follow in Biden’s footsteps in recognizing Indigenous Peoples Day, but rather wants to “bring Columbus Day back from the ashes.”
Although Columbus Day never left and is still a federal holiday marked on the second Monday in October, for the last four years President Biden commemorated Indigenous Peoples Day with a presidential proclamation on the same day as Columbus Day.
“It’s disappointing to hear that any national leader would dismiss Indigenous Peoples Day,” Democratic Rep. Eric Emery of Rosebud said. “This isn’t about erasing anybody. It’s about recognizing Native Americans and being the first people in this region.”
South Dakota was the first state to recognize Indigenous Peoples Day as an official state holiday in 1990 in an effort to reconcile with tribal nations. In 1989, then Gov. George Mickelson proposed that South Dakota change the holiday to Native Americans’ Day. The legislature made it law in 1990.
“The goal of it in 1990 wasn’t to try to be woke or anything of that sort with Governor Mickelson, it was about learning and to have ideally mutual respect,” said former Republican Rep. Tamara St. John. She is Native American and represented Sisseton in District 1 from 2020 to 2024.
On Sunday, Trump posted on Truth Social, “You’ll be happy to know, Christopher is going to make a major comeback. I am hereby reinstating Columbus Day under the same rules, dates, and locations, as it has had for all of the many decades before!”
Although Columbus Day never went away, it has taken a backseat in recent years to individuals, state governments, and even the White House, choosing to recognize Native American history instead of Christopher Columbus, who is credited with exploring and colonizing the Americas.
In 2022, former Gov. Kristi Noem praised South Dakota’s leadership in recognizing Native Americans in a statement titled “In South Dakota, We Celebrate Native American Day.”
In her piece, she noted her designating Seven Council Fires as the official indigenous language of the state, as well as designating the traditional flute as the official state indigenous musical instrument of South Dakota. This was done by signing SB 126 in 2019 and HB 1196 in 2022.
She also discussed her efforts to support Native American foster children.
“Children deserve to grow up in a home that reflects their culture and values. I have placed a specific importance on recruiting more Native American foster families, so that Native American children can be placed with families that nurture cultural continuity,” she wrote.
Despite Trump’s recent comments about Columbus Day, Emery hopes Gov. Rhoden and his successors still continue to recognize Native American Day in South Dakota.
“I think it’s a large part of the history of South Dakota, and I think it needs to remain as something to be acknowledged,” he said.
