A statue of Christopher Columbus at a downtown Los Angeles park is surrounded by a chain-link fence on October 9, 2017 in Los Angeles, California. The city council voted in August to replace Columbus Day, today, with Indigenous People’s Day, honouring Native Americans on the second Monday of October. / AFP PHOTO / FREDERIC J. BROWN (Photo credit should read FREDERIC J. BROWN/AFP/Getty Images)
From the Seattle Times by Lewis Kamb: The resolution creating Indigenous Peoples’ Day — as the Seattle City Council unanimously designated the day in 2014 — was drafted with support of activists and advocates from several groups, including the Affiliated Tribes of Northwest Indians and the city’s Human Rights Commission.
The move to create the day in Seattle provoked some opposition from Italian American groups five years ago because October’s second Monday also is Columbus Day, a federal holiday since 1934 named for explorer Christopher Columbus that’s widely marked by the celebration of Italian American history and culture.
Because Washington state doesn’t recognize Columbus Day, Indigenous Peoples’ Day doesn’t replace it, nor is Indigenous Peoples’ Day an official city holiday — just a day to honor Native people. Columbus Day, however, is federally recognized, so mail isn’t delivered and federal workers get the day off.
(CNN) — Columbus Day has been a political lightning rod for states, cities and municipalities around the US for years now. Some have decided to do something about it.
Virginia is the latest state to officially observe “Indigenous Peoples’ Day” instead, a holiday to recognize the native populations that were displaced and decimated after Christopher Columbus and other European explorers reached the continent.
Technically, Columbus Day is a federal holiday, which means it is recognized by the US government and thus brings the closure of non-essential government offices, and, usually, places like post offices and banks.
But states and local governments can choose not to observe a federal holiday. And, as is the case with a growing number of places, change the name and intent of the October holiday altogether.
Not listed here are more than 130 cities that have ditched Columbus Day for Indigenous Peoples Day — and the list grows yearly.