About Columbus Day
Columbus Day is a U.S. holiday that since 1968 commemorates the landing of Christopher Columbus in the New World on October 12, 1492. In the last twenty years we have become more aware of specific history resources about Columbus revealing less than admirable facets of the “discovery” story. Although he took chocolate back to Europe, he brought pestilence and disease to the indigenous peoples of the Americas. While governor of the Bahamas, his harsh rule was characterized by the forced labor of the settlers and enslavement of indigenous people. Given these contexts, Columbus’s prominent role in the displacement and mistreatment of the continent's native populations makes him one of the most reviled holiday namesakes we have. Although some Italian American organizations consider Columbus (originally from Italy) as synonymous with honoring their culture, the reality is that today, most Americans see Columbus Day as an excuse for a three-day weekend.
Knowing what we do about Christopher Columbus, what have Americans done to thwart such ugly remembrance? I lived in Alabama for two glorious years of front porch sitting and eating shrimp and rice with a side of lima beans made in a butter sauce. In addition to its comfort food, lovely weather and a streak of friendly neighbors, Alabama is unique because it was one of the first states to officially celebrate American Indian Heritage Day on the same day as—and for some, even in place of—Columbus Day. The Creek Indians of the Alabama region have a terribly difficult history, one involving a civil war of its own, when, after a year of fighting, the Red Sticks (a faction of the Creek) were betrayed by their brothers in 1814. The Creek Indian War effectively ended with the Treaty of Fort Jackson, where General Andrew Jackson insisted that the Creek confederacy cede more than 21 million acres of land from southern Georgia and central Alabama.
The American Indian Heritage Day was proclaimed in Alabama in 2000 to honor Native American Indians for their contributions to the state's culture. Other government organizations have adopted similar measures. According to the Los Angeles Times, twenty-two states, including California, do not consider it a paid holiday. South Dakota celebrates Native American Day instead, and Hawaii and Alaska, which also have large native populations, don’t recognize it at all. Local governments have joined in the fray. In 2002, the Los Angeles City Council voted to allow city employees to take Cesar Chavez Day as a paid holiday instead of Columbus Day. New York City’s Columbus Day parade may be less well attended. Instead, many are opting to attend the second annual Indigenous People’s Day celebration on Randall’s Island.
If you were to reimagine Columbus Day as a holiday dedicated to a different person, but in the spirit of discovery or celebration of the era of New World exploration, who would you choose?
