October 14, 2024, is a day of remembrance, but some are confused about whether or not it’s recognized as a federal holiday. Upon waking up today, many wondered why certain businesses around them were closed. Does this mean that it’s a federal holiday today? Learn more about Indigenous Peoples’ Day (formerly titled Columbus Day), below.
What Holiday is Today?
Today is Indigenous Peoples’ Day, formerly known as Columbus Day. Federal offices and workers have the day off today. Certain banks recognize the holiday, including Bank of America and Wells Fargo. Post offices are also closed for today, which means there is no incoming or outgoing mail. However, the stock markets are still open today.
What Is Columbus Day?
Columbus Day was created to celebrate Christopher Columbus’ arrival into the Americas. The Italian explorer arrived in the Bahamas in 1492. Although, for centuries, Columbus was widely credited with the exploration of the Americas, many spoke out about his enslavement of and cruelty toward indigenous people.
Observance of the holiday varies around the world, and in the United States. Cities such as San Francisco and New York City celebrate Columbus Day with parades, while other communities across the nation do not recognize the holiday at all.
What Is Indigenous Peoples’ Day?
Indigenous Peoples’ Day honors Indigenous Americans’ contributions, history and culture.
For decades, multiple American states adopted different versions of Indigenous Peoples’ Day. In 1988, Hawaii recognized Columbus Day as Discoverers’ Day, and South Dakota later adopted it as Native American Day in 1989. By 2015, multiple states had changed the observation from Columbus Day to Indigenous Peoples’ Day, including Alaska, Vermont, North Carolina, California, Louisiana, Nebraska, Oregon and Texas. Other states called the holiday a different title to recognize both Italian heritage as well as Native American history, such as Alabama, which declared the holiday as American Indian Heritage Day/Columbus Day.
Criticism from certain public figures arose after a majority of Americans recognized Columbus Day as Indigenous Peoples’ Day instead. In October 2020, Donald Trump criticized Joe Biden‘s support of Indigenous Peoples’ Day, according to USA Today.
At the time, Trump issued a now-removed proclamation calling for Americans to observe the holiday with “appropriate ceremonies and activities.”
“Sadly, in recent years, radical activists have sought to undermine Christopher Columbus’s legacy,” Trump’s now-deleted proclamation read, per the outlet. “These extremists seek to replace discussion of his vast contributions with talk of failings, his discoveries with atrocities and his achievements with transgressions.”
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