Governor Proclaims Indigenous Peoples' Day 2021

WHEREAS, October 1492 is a significant date for all indigenous people of the Americas as it marks the start of the colonization which forever changed the environments, cultures, and quality of life for the first inhabitants of this continent; and

WHEREAS, American Indians, who inhabited this continent long before the first contact with European settlers, shared their knowledge, land and resources, and have continued to play a vital role in the development of American Indian communities, the state of North Carolina and the nation; and

WHEREAS, North Carolina is home to more than 130,000 American Indians, according to the 2020 U.S. Census, and has eight recognized tribes: Coharie, Eastern Band of Cherokee, Haliwa Saponi, Lumbee, Meherrin, Occaneechi Band of Saponi, Sappony, and Waccamaw-Siouan; and

WHEREAS, the North Carolina Commission of Indian Affairs was created in 1971 by the North Carolina General Assembly to advocate for state, local, regional and national American Indian concerns; and

WHEREAS, the state of North Carolina has enjoyed a positive relationship with the indigenous peoples of North Carolina, and much progress has been made to assure that this relationship continues to flourish; and

WHEREAS, North Carolina has made concerted efforts to close the equity gap for indigenous peoples through equity and inclusion policies, and practices to ensure greater access as well as opportunity to all essential state services; and

WHEREAS, Indigenous Peoples’ Day was first proposed in 1977 by a delegation of Native Nations to the United Nations during an international conference on discrimination against indigenous populations in the Americas; and

WHEREAS, the state of North Carolina and the North Carolina Commission of Indian Affairs encourages all residents to acknowledge the historic sacrifices of indigenous peoples, and recognize the contributions of this population to the state and nation;

NOW, THEREFORE, I, ROY COOPER, Governor of the State of North Carolina, do hereby proclaim October 11, 2021, as “INDIGENOUS PEOPLES’ DAY” in North Carolina, and commend its observance to all citizens.