After re-evaluating his legacy, it is clear that Columbus Day should be federally changed to Indigenous Peoples Indigenous peoples, also known as First peoples, Aboriginal peoples or Native peoples, are ethnic groups who are the original settlers of a given region, in contrast to groups that have settled, occupied or colonized the area more recently. Groups are usually described as indigenous whe…Indigenous peoples
Full Answer
Should we celebrate Columbus Day or Indigenous Peoples’ Day?
Columbus Day is still widely celebrated across the US but each year, more and more locales are opting to celebrate Indigenous Peoples’ Day instead or at least, commemorate both occasions on the same day or separately.
When did indigenous peoples’ day become a national holiday?
In 1992, Berkeley, Calif., became the first city to replace Columbus Day with Indigenous Peoples’ Day — and now, nearly 30 years later, there are more than 130 cities and 15 states that have either followed suit or chosen to mark both.
Why do we celebrate Columbus Day?
I appreciate that for many people, including some Italian-Americans, the celebration of Columbus is viewed as belittling the suffering of indigenous peoples at the hands of Europeans. But for countless people in my community, Columbus, and Columbus Day, represent an opportunity to celebrate our contributions to this country.
Is Columbus Day a problematic holiday?
“This historically problematic holiday — Columbus never actually set foot on the continental U.S. — has made an increasing number of people wince, given the enslavement and genocide of Native American people that followed in the wake of the Nina, Pinta and Santa Maria,” writes Yvonne Zipp for The Christian Science Monitor.
First, why is Columbus Day a problem?
A statue of Christopher Columbus is vandalized with the word ‘murderer.’ Nik Wheeler/Corbis via Getty Images
When did Indigenous Peoples Day come about?
In 1990, South Dakota – currently the state with the third-largest population of Native Americans in the U.S. – became the first state to officially recognize Native Americans’ Day, commonly referred to as Indigenous Peoples Day in other parts of the country.
How does Indigenous Peoples Day change things?
Indigenous Peoples Day offers an opportunity for educators to rethink how they teach what some have characterized as a “ sanitized ” story of the arrival of Columbus. This version omits or downplays the devastating impact of Columbus’ arrival on Indigenous peoples.
Has there been any pushback?
Yes, the shift from Columbus Day to Indigenous Peoples Day has met resistance from communities across the country. In 2021, parents in Parsippany, New Jersey, protested the local school board’s decision to celebrate Indigenous Peoples Day in place of Columbus Day.
What resources do you recommend for Indigenous Peoples Day?
I would recommend “ Lies My Teacher Told Me About Christopher Columbus ” by sociologist and educator James Loewen. I would also recommend “ An Indigenous Peoples’ History of the United States for Young People ” by historian Roxanne Dunbar-Ortiz.
Which state was the first to celebrate Columbus Day?
Enlarge Image. A statue of Christopher Columbus in downtown Los Angeles AFP via Getty Images. Twelve years later, South Dakota — home to a slew of Native American tribes — became the first state to toss out Columbus Day for what it now calls Native Americans Day.
When did Columbus Day become a federal holiday?
When President Franklin D. Roosevelt made Columbus Day a federal holiday in 1934, it’s likely he had no idea the controversy he would create. The annual holiday was set for the second Monday in October, traditionally feted with parades largely organized by Italian American groups.
How long did it take Christopher Columbus to reach the New World?
It took Christopher Columbus about nine weeks to reach the New World from Spain — and his critics more than half a century to start convincing US cities to ditch the holiday honoring the moment. In 1992, Berkeley, Calif., became the first city to replace Columbus Day with Indigenous Peoples’ Day — and now, nearly 30 years later, ...
