Columbus Day or Indigenous Peoples’ Day? How The Holiday Has Been Shaped by Oppression

October 3, 2022 | nationalgeographic.com

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Was Christopher Columbus a heroic explorer or a villainous murderer? It depends on who you ask. The tussle over how or whether the United States should commemorate the Italian navigator’s 1492 landing in the Americas has fueled controversy for generations.

A federal holiday celebrated the second Monday of each October, Columbus Day arose out of a late 19th century movement to honor Italian American heritage at a time when Italian immigrants faced widespread persecution.

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NJ SEED: Monday of this week was a national holiday. The above referenced article is an interesting read from an October 2022 issue of National Geographic. It lends perspective to an ongoing struggle on how best to recognize Italian-American heritage as well as recognizing the plight of native Americans. Honoring the contributions of both cultures is appropriate.