The concept of Indigenous Peoples’ Day dates back to 1977, when the United Nations-sponsored International Conference on Discrimination Against Indigenous Populations in the Americas first began discussing the idea of replacing Columbus Day with it. Concrete steps to create the change began occurring after the First Continental Conference on 500 Years of Indian Resistance in 1990. At this meeting of Indian groups throughout the Americas, members from Northern California decided to begin active resistance in 1992, the 500th anniversary of Columbus’ voyages. To counter the San Francisco Bay Area’s planned Quincentennial Jubilee, the Continental Conference delegates formed the Bay Area Indian Alliance and the “Resistance 500” task force, which sought to raise awareness of the genocide of indigenous peoples that was begun by Columbus. Through their work they succeeded in getting the Berkeley, California city council to replace Columbus Day with Indigenous Peoples’ Day, and even to declare 1992 the “Year of Indigenous People.” Since then, Berkeley has celebrated Indigenous Peoples’ Day annually, and have been joined by other California cities, as well as several throughout the United States. South Dakota, Alaska, and Vermont are the only states to have officially replaced Columbus Day with Indigenous Peoples’ Day (California recognizes both).