JACKSON, Wyo. — Mayor Hailey Morton Levinson recognized the countless contributions of Indigenous peoples throughout history by proclaiming Monday, Oct. 14, as Indigenous Peoples Day.
“American Indians have created vibrant and diverse cultures — safeguarding land, language, spirit, knowledge and traditions across generations,” Morton Levinson proclaimed on Monday, Oct. 7. “We recognize their strength, resilience and the immeasurable positive impact that they have had in public service, entrepreneurship, scholarship, the arts and countless other fields.”
According to Town, Indigenous Peoples Day was first proposed in 1977 by a delegation of Native Nations to the United Nations. In January 2024, the Town of Jackson’s Council affirmed a recommendation from its Equity Task Force to recognize the many tribes with connections to Jackson including the Bannock, Blackfoot, Crow, Eastern Shoshone, Gros Ventre, Mountain Shoshone, Nez Perce, Northern Arapaho and others. The Town made a commitment to honor its relationship with Tribal neighbors whose land was taken through broken treaties that resulted in the creation of the Wind River and Fort Hall Indian Reservations.
“We continue to work on building relationships with local tribal members and we recommit to supporting a new, brighter future of promise and equity for Tribal Nations — a future grounded in Tribal sovereignty and respect for the human rights of Indigenous people,” Morton Levinson read.
The Town encourages residents, businesses, organizations and public institutions to
celebrate and honor Indigenous Peoples Day.
