Indigenous Peoples' Day was first proposed in 1977 during the International NGO Conference on Discrimination Against Indigenous Populations in the Americas held by the United Nations in Geneva, Switzerland. The day was created as a counter-celebration to Columbus Day and aimed to recognize and honor Indigenous American peoples and their histories and cultures. The first city to officially rename Columbus Day as Indigenous Peoples' Day was Berkeley, California, in 1992. Since then, many other cities and states have adopted the holiday, and in 2021, President Joe Biden formally commemorated Indigenous Peoples' Day with a presidential proclamation for the first time.

In Canada, a related National Indigenous Peoples Day was first celebrated in 1996 and is observed annually on June 21.