The formation of Columbus and Indigenous Peoples’ Day
October 11, 2021
The first day the United States dedicated to Christopher Columbus was in 1792 when the political organization Tammany Hall planned a celebration to honor the 300th anniversary of Columbus’ stumbling upon the Americas. Despite being recognized by a number of areas from as early as the 1700s, the celebration of Columbus’ expedition became a federal government holiday in 1937 by President Franklin D. Roosevelt after the persuasion of the Catholic organization, Knights of Columbus.
This holiday occurs every second Monday of October and holds particular importance to some Italian-Americans, as Columbus was a famous Italian explorer. However, there has been a rise in the number of people questioning whether or not Columbus deserves a day dedicated to him.
The most prominent argument is that Columbus did not truly discover the Americas as they were already inhabited by the Indigenous people who had found the land long before he had. Those who do not support the holiday celebrating Columbus would prefer it to recognize Indigenous people and the colonization that Columbus imposed on them and their culture.
States including Alaska, Hawaii, Maine, New Mexico, Oregon, South Dakota, and Virginia all officially celebrate Indigenous Peoples’ Day rather than Columbus Day.
Although there are people who support this change, there are some who believe that it is unfair to Americans of Italian descent.
As Chicago Public Schools are now among the list of districts that observe Indigenous Peoples’ day, members of the Joint Civic Committee of Italian Americans, which plans the annual Columbus Day parade, have been upset with the decision. To some Italian-Americans, Columbus was a prominent figure within their culture that represented resilience: this change erases that. To those in support of the name change, Indigenous Peoples’ Day provides an opportunity to acknowledge the history that is often not taught and the horrors that were inflicted upon Indigenous people.