Indigenous Peoples' Day

The City of Boston now celebrates Indigenous Peoples’ Day on the second Monday in October pursuant to the October 6, 2021 Executive Order of Acting Mayor Kim Janey.

Indigenous Peoples of the lands that would later become known as the Americas, have lived upon and been caretakers of these lands since time immemorial, and the City of Boston is situated on the traditional territory of the Massachusett at Ponkapoag Tribe.

Boston is home to at least 11,000 Indigenous People from the US and Canada, including members of the Massachusett, Wampanoag, Nipmuc, and other nations.

Flags from nation states around the world have been flown at Boston City Hall to honor that nation and its people, but Boston has never flown the flag of an Indigenous nation.

This week, the Council, in honor of the histories and cultures of Indigenous Peoples, adopted a resolution recognizing October 9th, 2023 as Indigenous Peoples’ Day. In recognition of Indigenous Peoples’ Day, the Council ordered the Property Management Department to raise the flag of the Massachusetts Tribe at Ponkapoag over City Hall Plaza on October 6th.