California Indian Day at the California State Capitol

Luiseno Rattlesnake BasketCalifornia Indian Day
September 22, 2006

California State Capitol 
Sacramento, California

11 am to 1 pm on the West Steps

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. It was hoped that this acknowledgment would help to inform the general public about Indian heritage and the problems that are confronted by Indians in California.

For years, the California tribes celebrated the fourth Friday of September by renewing their ties to the Earth and keeping alive the ways of their ancestors. It was in 1998 when the California Legislature passed Assembly Bill No. 1953 (Baca), establishing the day as an official state holiday. Today, people of all ages celebrate California Native American Day by learning more about the culture, heritage and traditions of the California Indian.