• Conducting educational programming and distributing information in order to help people understand human rights and eliminate discriminatory practices.
• Advising government, businesses, and private individuals on human rights issues, concerns and complaints from the community.
• Informing and advising the Fergus Falls City Council on human rights concerns and complaints.
• Assuming the responsibility to pass on human rights concerns to the Minnesota Department of Human Rights.

• Date: 2nd Thursday of the month (Note: no quorum for Oct 2025 meeting)
• Time: 12:00 pm
• Location: City Council Chambers

October 13, 2025 is Indigenous Peoples' Day in Minnesota, a day to honor and reflect on the history, experiences, and resilience of indigenous peoples. Held annually on the 2nd Monday of October, more than a dozen states recognize Indigenous Peoples’ Day in some form, with some declaring it an official state holiday alongside Columbus Day or replacing Columbus Day altogether. In 2023, legislation adopted Indigenous People's Day in Minnesota, replacing Columbus Day as an official state holiday. Read the Proclamation here.

Indigenous Peoples’ Day honors the histories, cultures, and perspectives of Indigenous peoples and their ancestors who lived on the land now known as North America for thousands of years before the first European explorers arrived. This day promotes awareness of Indigenous peoples’ struggles, resilience, and unique traditions, fostering understanding, healing and reconciliation. The Otter Tail County Historical Society can help visitors better understand the Indigenous cultures and histories that shape our community. Plan your visit at www.otchs.org. Likewise, the Fergus Falls Public Library has curated a collection of histories, stories, and art anthologies from the Dakota, Ojibwe, Sisseton, Lakota, and Whapeton communities. Stop in to peruse and borrow the excellent resources compiled by Adult Services and Reference Librarian Katelyn Boyer. Teaser images of the collection are below! Take a look and see what catches your eye.

Finally, Minnesota sits on 100% ceded treaty territories. It is our obligation to tell the truth of Indigenous peoples' active role in our history, present, and future, and in recognition of the disease, genocide, and slavery brought to the Americas through the interactions of Columbus and other European explorers with Indigenous peoples. The arrival of European explorers and settlers also meant that Indigenous peoples increasingly lost access to their ancestral lands and natural resources, which significantly impacted their ability to practice aspects of their cultures and traditions. We suggest visiting the online exhibit "Why Treaties Matter" to learn about the living documents meant to guarantee the preservation of Native lands a cultures into the future. treatiesmatter.org

Thank you for taking time to honor Indigenous Peoples' Day!