For 88 years, America recognized and celebrated Columbus Day on October 10th. This federal holiday celebrates Christopher Columbus “discovering” the New World. It was designated a national holiday by former president Franklin Roosevelt. However, in recent years, society has started acknowledging the fact that Columbus may not have been as heroic as schools and society have made him out to be.   

Holding Columbus accountable for his horrible treatment of Native Americans has led to the creation of a new holiday – Indigenous Peoples Day – but great debate on whether Columbus Day should be celebrated or entirely replaced has since occurred.   

Indigenous Peoples Day was created to honor the nearly 55 million Native Americans who died upon Columbus’ arrival into the new world. These populations fell victim to mass genocide because of their vulnerability against European powers; they were almost entirely wiped out.  

Many people’s hesitation with Indigenous Peoples Day is that they don’t know how to celebrate it. While parades, information sessions, and sharing different stories about Indigenous people are some great ways to celebrate, just acknowledging that America was built on stolen land is the best.   

This is just the beginning of correcting the history children are taught year after year. The time has come to recognize native peoples’ generational trauma at the hands of Columbus – and many others whose inhumane behaviors have not yet been brought to the surface.