Columbus Day vs. Indigenous People’s Day: Outrage grows over push to change holiday’s recognition
The debate over abandoning Columbus Day for Indigenous Peoples’ Day has divided communities and angered politicians over the so-called ‘woke’ revisions to history.
Columbus Day is meant to highlight Italian Christopher Columbus’ journey to the discovery of the West. But in recent years there has been a push to diminish his place in history and remove the holiday named after him because of the treatment of indigenous people.
“As an Italian-American, Columbus Day will always hold a special place in my heart and no amount of woke madness will take that away,” read a statement from the Italian Caucus of New York and NYC Councilwoman Vickie Paladino.
“I will continue to celebrate Columbus Day with pride and I am proud to stand with my colleagues in the Italian Caucus to oppose the erasure of Italian History in America.”
New York City is set to honor Columbus and Italian Americans Monday during its annual parade with Mayor Eric Adams. That’s despite mixed messages from the Democrat who called for the “honest teaching of our history” while praising Indigenous People’s Day in a social media post before attending the march.
In response to the findings of what the Italian explorer did on his journey, his federal holiday has been questioned for the past quarter century due to his mistreatment of indigenous people. Pictured: A man defacing a Columbus statue in Miami
Many communities now celebrate Indigenous People’s Day, or both holidays, on the same day. Pictured: People gathered for the 202 Indigenous Peoples celebration in New York City
Columbus himself was Catholic Italian and others with that decent appearance to this day as evidence of dignity and celebration. Others who disagree with Columbus’ choices see the day differently and would much rather see it banished from ‘waking’ American history. Pictured: A Columbus statue in Providence, Rhode Island, before and after it was vandalized
Indigenous People’s Day has existed since 1977 when it was first held at a United Nations conference, and for the past three years it has shared the same day with Columbus Day following a 2021 federal proclamation from President Joe Biden.
Columbus was born in Geno, which is now part of Italy, in 1451. The Italian explorer is idolized by many because he represented their heritage every year on the second Monday in October.
Spanish rulers, Queen Isabella and King Ferdinand approved and funded his trip, but what they did not authorize were the native people he kidnapped and enslaved.
“His first voyage was hurried, he told the monarchs, but on his next voyage he was sure he could collect ‘slaves in any number they may order,'” Columbus allegedly said, according to a new opinion from the The of Boston Globe Jeff Jacoby.
In a 1975 American Heritage essay, Edward T. Stone wrote that ‘Columbus captured a large number of native men, women and children and sent them back as cargo in 12 ships to be sold in the slave market at Seville. ‘
He then told the King and Queen that the people he brought back with him were ‘cannibals’ who could be taught the ways of Christianity.
Jacoby’s piece on Sunday was titled ‘I Defended Columbus as ‘Magnificent’. I don’t anymore.’
Jacoby, like others across the country, saw a shift in the way history viewed Columbus. This led to changes in the day and statues being vandalized. Others insisted on keeping his honors and his importance in finding the West.
At least 14 states and 130 US cities have replaced Columbus Day with Indigenous Peoples’ Day. Columbus, Ohio, named for the explorer, even changed the holiday to recognize indigenous people.
People gather by the East River during an Indigenous sunrise water ceremony on Randall’s Island as they celebrate Indigenous Peoples Day in New York on October 9, 2023.
New York celebrated Native People’s Day along Randall’s Island on October 9 when the annual Columbus Day parade was held nearby
Typically, indigenous people’s celebrations last for three days in New York
Massachusetts has become a hotbed for the Columbus Day vs. Indigenous People’s Day debate.
Native American activists and supporters are taking the day and making it their own, as more than 300 cities and towns across Massachusetts alone aim to honor their community.
But the state government is yet to make the switch. A bill is pending to make the change to Indigenous People’s Day, according to The Boston Herald.
“This bill basically disregards the contributions of the Italian American people,” said state Rep. Jeffrey Turco, D-19th Suffolk.
Danielle DeLuca co-founded Italian Americans for Indigenous People’s Day and since 2016 has led efforts to abandon Columbus Day and instead use it to celebrate other Italian Americans.
‘We believe that Indigenous Peoples Day should be its own holiday. It should not stand next to Columbus Day. It should not stand next to Italian Heritage Day.
“We cannot celebrate Italian Americans on a day that honors Columbus. You just can’t celebrate a perpetrator of genocide and victims of genocide on the same day,” DeLuca said.
Similarly, in Connecticut, the holiday is still designated as Columbus Day. While the governor has not discussed a change, state Legislator Cathy Osten, D-Sprague, has pushed for a switch.
“What I’m asking for is a conversation about this issue,” said Osten, whose district is home to two tribes. “I think we have a sea change in an area where people didn’t necessarily believe there needed to be a conversation.
Today is the first day that the state of Minnesota has celebrated Native People’s Day, as a group of people gathered in a large circle early Monday morning.
Legislation this year dropped Columbus Day and required schools to observe the new holiday.
In New York City, the annual Columbus Day parade was held at noon.
In a morning social media post, Mayor Eric Adams appeared to be sending mixed messages about the day. He praised Indigenous People’s Day and called for the ‘honest teaching of our history’.
“Indigenous People’s Day is also a call of justice for us to repair our broken history, embrace indigenous and indigenous brothers and sisters, and honor extraordinary contributions of indigenous people to our country,” the mayor said.
Moments after the Indigenous People’s Day post, Adams posted a video touting Italian Americans’ contributions to the city.
“New York is the city it is today because your ancestors helped build it,” Adams said.
Today is the first day that the state of Minnesota has celebrated Native People’s Day, as a group of people gathered in a large circle early Monday morning
Councilwoman Vickie Paladino went to X to share her support for Columbus Day as an Italian American
In Chicago, all public schools were closed in recognition of Indigenous Peoples Day, as the rest of the state continued to honor Columbus Day instead.
Arlene Duncan, a member of the Chippewa Nation, tells Chicago Sun Times that Columbus supporters ‘choose to believe their own facts’ even when the ‘historical trauma and the annihilation of our people cannot be denied.’
A spokesperson for the city of Chicago reported that the opposing parties are currently engaged in “settlement decisions.”
However, not everyone is happy with the switch. The Italian Caucus of New York is one of the groups that made the move.
In a Monday op-ed for The FederalistScott Powell discusses why Americans should continue to honor Columbus Day.
“Some contemporary revisionist historians have taken cheap shots at Columbus, taking a chapter from Lenin to accuse him of being an imperialist,” Powell wrote.
‘Others blame Columbus for unfair treatment of indigenous people without considering the mix of his Spanish machismo crew encountering ruthless tribes that include cannibals and the brutal Aztecs. It added to the strength needed to survive.’
Powell detailed how Columbus braved the risk to help explore the world. His efforts led people from Great Britain to leave England and settle in America in search of freedom.
“Columbus Day is worth observing and honoring because it remains the foundation for the founding of a new nation by people who largely shared the core beliefs and traits of character that Columbus displayed,” Powell said. noticed.
“Columbus Day commemorates character, embodies freedom and celebrates the uniqueness that is America.”