A graphic of a Christopher Columbus statue flipped upside down against a beige and orange background.
Christopher Columbus is not the famed explorer we learned about in school. His travels here sparked the rapid colonization of the Americas as we know them today. He enslaved and mutilated Indigenous peoples as soon as he arrived and was financially incentivized to reap as much value from the lands he visited as possible – economizing the harm (Biography). He wasn’t even the first European to “discover” America; the Vikings had already visited five centuries earlier (Britannica). He didn’t even step foot into the continental United States (Washington Post). Y’all, even the names of the ships are likely false.
But let’s take a step further and dismantle the “discoverer” part of his story altogether: Indigenous people were already living here, so there was nothing to find. The idea that a place needed to be “discovered” by white people for its validation is part of the colonization and oppression that continues to influence our thinking. This thought pattern has been used to validate the domination of Indigenous people around the world to this very day.
Efforts to change Columbus Day into Indigenous Peoples’ Day is a small step towards justice. But know that it is not new, even if it’s new to you. Activists have pushed for an alternative to Columbus Day since the 1970s. Berkeley, California, was the first city in the U.S. to adopt this holiday in the early 90s (Time). Important to note: South Dakota started referring to Columbus Day as “Native American Day” in 1989 (Washington Post).
UW-Chicano Students carry a banner that reads “Columbus didn’t discover America, He Invaded It! UW-Chicano Students”. Photo Source: MADE Magazine.
As of now, only 16 states and the territory of American Samoa still observe the second Monday in October as an official public holiday exclusively called Columbus Day (Pew Research). In 2021, the Biden administration formally recognized Indigenous Peoples’ Day as a holiday. It is not federally recognized, as Congress must pass legislation to make it a federal holiday. However, it is a step forward, thanks to the efforts by Native and Indigenous people campaigning to establish the holiday. You can dive into more about the process and any opposition for various locations in this NYTimes article.
After centuries of erasure and oppression, Indigenous people deserve to be celebrated more than one day a year. This initiative shouldn’t be considered merely a replacement for Columbus Day. But as we advocate for the change, we must remember that Columbus Day itself is incredibly harmful, and disavowing it is a distinct issue. We need to reject the whitewashed and glorified story of Columbus as a famed discoverer and acknowledge the harm he created to native communities through his colonization.
TAKE ACTION
Learn how Diné architect Tamarah Begay is in charge of the “Reimagining Columbus” project, which is developing recommendations for the Christopher Columbus statue removed from their City Hall’s campus in 2020.
Use these resources from Zinn Education Project to encourage schools to contextualize their curriculum.
Donate to a Native land trust near you. If you can’t find one, consider supporting the Sogorea Te’ Land Trust, led by urban Indigenous women.
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