While many governmental offices are closed on Monday in honor of Columbus Day, The Cities of Southfield and Ferndale, MI have taken a different approach to the day. The announcement Southfield’s social media and website says “The City of Southfield offices and library will be closed on Monday, October 8 in observation of Indigenous Peoples Day. City offices will reopen for business at 8 a.m. on Tuesday, October 9.”

Indigenous Peoples Day is recognized in cities across the country as well as several states including Alaska, Minnesota and Vermont.  The day is intended to celebrate Native Americans, their history and culture, and to acknowledge the death and displacement of native peoples during colonization.  Columbus Day is named for the Italian-American explorer Christopher Columbus who named Native Americans “Indians” because he believed he had landed in India. Columbus has been honored for launching European settlement in the Americas, but also criticized for the slaughter, capture, and slavery of native peoples.