(North Mankato, MN): Native American Day commemorates the history of native Americans on the second Monday of October. The day encourages people to learn about and respect the cultures of historical and modern native Americans. It is a day to celebrate the heritage of Native Americans and for both native and non-native cultures to unite so the many aspects of native culture can be shared. We also recall the crimes committed against native Americans throughout history.
An acknowledgment of the California Indians came in 1968 when Governor Ronald Reagan signed a resolution calling for the fourth Friday of each September to be American Indian Day.
In 1989, the South Dakota legislature unanimously passed legislation to change Columbus Day to Native American Day. Since 1990 the second Monday in October has been celebrated as Native American Day in South Dakota.