Akron Public Schools is among the organizations hosting events to commemorate North American First People’s Day Oct. 1-7.
Akron City Council declared the first Monday in October North American First People’s Day in 2018 as a way to honor Native American history, life and culture. In 2019, Summit County Council extended the declaration to include all of Summit County.
APS encourages participation in this year’s commemorations including the sixth annual Portage Path Walk, speakers, art exhibits, in-school activities and a new archaeology exhibit.
The annual walk is scheduled for Sunday, Oct. 2, from 1:30-3 p.m. The 1-kilometer walk retraces the steps of the indigenous people who once traveled along the Portage Path – an 8-mile trail that crosses the divide between the Cuyahoga and Tuscarawas rivers.
Members of the Northern Cheyenne nation lead the walk, which is open to the public. The walk begins at Portage Path Community Learning Center, 55 S. Portage Path, and ends at the John Brown House, 514 Diagonal Road. A program featuring drumming and singing is scheduled for 2 p.m.
The event also features a Native American street food trailer operated by the Native American Indian Center of Central Ohio.
Monday will feature a special program at Hyre CLC featuring Akron historian David Lieberth and Akron Public Schools director of social studies curriculum, Adam Motter.