Indigenous Peoples’ Day and Thanksgiving are related in history and in public conversation, but they are not the same holiday and they do not fall on the same date. In 2026, Indigenous Peoples’ Day is observed in many U.S. cities and states on Monday, October 12, the second Monday in October, which is also the date of the federal Columbus Day holiday. U.S. Thanksgiving is later, on Thursday, November 26. Since 1970, United American Indians of New England have also held a National Day of Mourning in Plymouth, Massachusetts, on Thanksgiving Day itself. For a broader history of the U.S. holiday, see why we celebrate Thanksgiving. Also see the how to host Thanksgiving hub and the Thanksgiving guide.
Two autumn dates, and a gathering on Thanksgiving Day
Indigenous Peoples’ Day is a commemoration of Native peoples, often observed in place of, or alongside, Columbus Day. It is widely marked on the second Monday in October, but it is not automatically a paid federal holiday under that name; the federal calendar still lists Columbus Day on that Monday. Observance depends on the state, city or workplace. Thanksgiving, by contrast, is a federal holiday on the fourth Thursday of November. The “connection” is not that they share a calendar square. It is that the usual schoolhouse story of Pilgrims and Native people is incomplete, and many Indigenous people, and many non-Native families, use this season to tell a more accurate history.
The National Day of Mourning is an annual gathering at Cole’s Hill in Plymouth, organized by United American Indians of New England, on the U.S. Thanksgiving holiday. UAINE describes it as a day of remembrance and protest, held since 1970, after Wamsutta Frank James, an Aquinnah Wampanoag man, was uninvited from giving a speech at a Massachusetts banquet marking the 350th anniversary of the Mayflower landing. Details and current event information are on the UAINE website. Not every Native person marks the day in the same way, and no article can speak for all Indigenous nations.
If you host dinner, you can leave room for that history without turning the meal into a lecture: learn whose land you are on, read a Native-authored history, and avoid costumes or jokes that treat living nations as props. Guests will not all agree, and a good host can set a respectful tone without forcing a debate. Link what you already publish on the holiday’s purpose rather than retelling that whole essay here.
Canadian Thanksgiving, on the second Monday in October, can fall on the same date as Indigenous Peoples’ Day in the United States, as it did in 2026, but that is a calendar overlap, not the same holiday. For the Canadian date, see when Canadian Thanksgiving is.
Frequently asked questions
Is Indigenous Peoples’ Day the same day as Thanksgiving?
No. In 2026, many places observe Indigenous Peoples’ Day on Monday, October 12. U.S. Thanksgiving is Thursday, November 26.
What is the National Day of Mourning?
It is a gathering held in Plymouth, Massachusetts, on Thanksgiving Day since 1970, organized by United American Indians of New England.
Do all Native people reject Thanksgiving?
No. Views differ by person and nation. Some observe a National Day of Mourning, some gather with family, and some do both.
Helpful kitchen tools
- OXO Good Grips Chef’s Precision Digital Instant Read Thermometer — Useful if you are cooking or reheating turkey to a safe temperature that week.
- OXO Good Grips 11-Pound Digital Kitchen Food Scale — Helpful for shopping lists and leftover portions.
- OXO Good Grips 2-Cup and 4-Cup Glass Measuring Cup Set — A basic tool if you are also cooking a side or gravy.
- Cuisinart Stainless 16-Inch Roasting Pan with Rack and Deluxe Basting Set — Worth having if your household is the one roasting the turkey.
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