The Mille Lacs Band of Ojibwe hosted an Indigenous People's Day celebration in St. Paul, Minnesota, on October 12, 2015. Photo from Facebook

A growing number of tribes, schools, communities and states are joining the Indigenous People's Day movement.

From Alaska to Denver to the Mille Lacs Band to South Dakota, the second Monday of October is seen as a time to celebrate the first Americans. But there's one place where it's missing -- Oklahoma, home to 39 tribes and the second-largest population of American Indians and Alaska Natives.

"No form of slavery or genocide should be accepted or promoted by our government," a petition on whitehouse.gov reads. "It is time to dispel the illusions of the past and progress towards a more educated future."

So far the petition has fewer than 300 signatures. It needs a total of 100,000 by November to garner an official response from the White House.

Even though Oklahoma hasn't officially declared an Indigenous People's Day, students and administrators at the University of Oklahoma observed it on Monday. President David Boren issued a proclamation last week that recognizes the "forced migration, misuse of trust funds and other injustices" inflicted upon tribal people in the state.

"Native peoples have woven such a rich part of the fabric that makes our state unique and I think gives us reason to provide leadership to the rest of the country in these areas,” Boren said at the celebration on Monday, according to Red Dirt Report.

Get the Story:
A student-led movement, OU celebrates its first Indigenous Peoples' Day (Red Dirt Report 10/12)
Elders and Youth Conference opens to renaming of Columbus Day in city, state (Alaska Dispatch News 10/12)
Alaska Renames Columbus Day ‘Indigenous Peoples Day’ (Time 10/12)
Walker declares ‘Indigenous Peoples Day’ (APRN 10/12)
'Indigenous Peoples Day' Gains Traction at University of Arkansas (KNWA 10/12)
UW-Eau Claire celebrates Indigenous Peoples Day (WQOW 10/12)
Community Marks First Indigenous Peoples Day (TWC News 10/12)
Albuquerque says adios to Columbus (Frontera NorteSur 10/12)
City leaders sign Indigenous Peoples’ Day proclamation (KOAT 10/12)
On Columbus/Indigenous People's Day, a debate about depictions of American Indians in Capitol art (The Minneapolis Star Tribune 10/12)
Twin Cities celebrate Indigenous Peoples Day (The Minneapolis Star Tribune 10/12)
School Board proclaims Indigenous Peoples' Day (KTVT 10/12)
Social Media Celebrates Indigenous Peoples Day ... Not That Other Holiday (The Root 10/12)
Arizonans Celebrate Indigenous Peoples' Day Alongside Columbus Day (Public News Service 10/12)
On Indigenous Peoples Day, what you need to know about California's Native students (The Los Angeles Times 10/12)
Cook Co. Board proclaims Monday 'Indigenous Peoples Day' (NNCNOW.com 10/12)
Denver votes to recognize 'Indigenous Peoples Day' (9News 10/12)
Clark serves popular Indigenous Peoples’ meal (The Technician Online 10/13)
UW-EC honors Native Americans with Council Oak marker, observance of day (The Eau Claire 10/13)
Photo gallery: Indigenous Peoples Day celebrated (The Kansas City Star 10/13)
Denver council passes proclamation observing Indigenous Peoples' Day (The Denver Post 10/13)
Indigenous Peoples Day pays respect to Olympia’s tribal past, present and future (The Olympian 10/13)
Berkeley: Indigenous People's Day celebrants honor the earth (The Contra Costa Times 10/13)
Mille Lacs band celebrates Indigenous Peoples Day (The Brainerd Dispatch 10/13)
City proclaims Oct. 12 Indigenous Peoples Day (Central Michigan Life 10/13)
Duluth celebrates indigenous people (The Duluth News Tribune 10/13)
Fargo City Commission okays Indigenous Peoples Day (KFGO 10/13)
Billings professor argues for consideration of “Indigenous People’s Day” (Forex Report Daily 10/13)
Students propose Indigenous Peoples' Day (The Farmington Daily-Times 10/13)
Native American Council calls for plaque, official holiday to celebrate indigenous peoples (The Columbia Daily Spectator 10/13)
On Columbus Day in New York City, the Party Is No Longer Just for Him (The New York Times 10/13)
Northern Arizona University Students Gather to Protest Columbus Day (NAZ Today 10/13)
Students march to protest Columbus Day (The Columbia Missourian 10/13)
Weighing in on Columbus Day controversy (Rapid News Network 10/13)
SD Celebrates Native American Day (South Dakota Public Broadcasting 10/13)

Some Opinions:
James Nevius: Christopher Columbus was a lost sadist. There shouldn't be a holiday in his name (The Guardian 10/12)
Billie K. Fidlin: Ban Columbus Day? There Shouldn't Be a Debate (The Huffington Post 10/12)

Related Stories:
Bayard Johnson: Columbus invented the protocol of colonization (10/12)
Valerie Strauss: From Columbus Day to Indigenous People's Day (10/12)
Kris Lane: Columbus was clearly not a friend to Native peoples (10/9)
Brian Vallie: A message for the indigenous peoples of America (10/14)
Editorial: Genocide and slavery are the realities of our history (10/13)
Tribe and city in Michigan to observe Indigenous Peoples Day (10/9)
Answer Sheet: How is Columbus Day still a thing in US today? (10/9)
Jessica Carro: Columbus ignored in most countries except US (10/8)
Largest city in Washington welcomes Indigenous Peoples' Day (10/7)
Washington city could turn Columbus Day into Coast Salish Day (10/02)
City leaders in Seattle postpone vote on Indigenous Peoples' Day (9/3)
Opinion: Indigenous People's Day deserves national recognition (05/13)
Minnesota city replaces Columbus Day with Chief Red Wing Day (05/01)
Native Sun News: Minneapolis adopts Indigenous People's Day (05/01)
MPR: Minneapolis welcomes Indigenous People's Day 2014 (04/28)
Opinion: 5 reasons for Indigenous People's Day in Minneapolis (04/25)
Minneapolis city council to vote on Columbus Day change (04/21)