Oct. 13, 1992: 29 years ago, Oct 12 1992, the country's first officially-recognized [...]

29 years ago, Oct 12 1992, the country’s first officially-recognized Indigenous People’s Day was celebrated in Berkeley. The holiday was planned by Resistance 500, a Native-led group that formed to protest upcoming celebrations of the 500th anniversary of Columbus’s landing

Dozens of organizations affiliated with Resistance 500, from the liberal Green Party to the radical Prairie Fire Organizing Committee. While the campaign to recognize Indigenous People’s Day was active across the Bay Area, only the government of Berkeley was receptive.

The holiday began with a sunrise ceremony on Alcatraz, after which the American Indian Movement disrupted a planned reenactment of Columbus’s landing. Later, hundreds gathered on Sproul Plaza where Indigenous rap group With0ut Rezervation performed

Two years later, Santa Cruz joined Berkeley as the second American city to officially recognize Indigenous People’s Day. It would be another two decades before more cities (and, as of three days ago, the federal government) would follow