On the second Monday of October every year, workers and students all across Massachusetts have a day off. Traditionally, it has been referred to as Columbus Day, celebrating Christopher Columbus and his achievements; however, many argue that he was not worth celebrating. They argue that Christopher Columbus’s expedition was harmful to many Native Americans and that the holiday should instead celebrate their heritage and history. In recent years, these opinions have gained support from a large audience, and Indigenous Peoples’ Day has been emerging as a replacement of the holiday.
Some might remember learning about Columbus Day in elementary school, and probably remember learning about how he “sailed the ocean blue.” First legally declared an annual federal holiday in 1971, Columbus Day is celebrated in order to recognize Columbus’s 1492 landing in America.
Christopher Columbus and his journey to the Americas marks the beginning of European colonization and influence on the continent. Columbus did not originally intend to travel to the Americas instead, he was searching for a new trade route to Asia. In order to fund his expedition, he received money from Spanish monarchs; however, he was an Italian man, and, in turn, has become an icon for many generations of Italian-Americans. After the devastating murder and lynching of eleven Italian-Americans in late-nineteenth-century New Orleans following anti-immigrant tensions, Columbus Day began being celebrated at the federal level in the United States in order to maintain positive relations with the Italian government. Italian-Americans viewed this holiday as a celebration of their heritage in a time when they were often viewed negatively in America. Soon, Italian-Americans across the U.S. were celebrating the holiday with parades and other festivities.
While Columbus and the colonization of the Americas were critical for the development of the United States, they were also harmful to the native people already living there.Colonization brought innovation, art, and culture to this country, but it also brought disease, genocide, relocation, and slavery to indigenous peoples. Many Americans argue that to celebrate Columbus Day also celebrates the historical cruelty towards Native Americans by Europeans. One estimate suggests that 95% of Indigenous populations in the Americas were wiped out during the first 130 years of contact with Europe.
Due to disagreement of the repercussions of Christopher Columbus’s expedition, 17 states in the United States support an alternative holiday on the second Monday of October, known as Indigenous Peoples’ Day. This holiday celebrates the achievement, culture, and perseverance of Native Americans throughout history while providing a perspective of American colonization from American Indians instead of the common European view taught in schools. Indigenous Peoples’ Day recognizes the struggles faced by Native Americans, and places emphasis on celebrating perseverance through previous and ongoing adversity still faced today by tribes all over the United States.
While Massachusetts only recognizes Columbus Day, there are still celebrations of Indigenous Peoples’ Day held in the state. These celebrations are mainly dedicated to the Wampanoag Tribe, who once occupied much of Massachusetts. Columbus Day is celebrated in Massachusetts with a large annual parade in Boston along with many other small celebrations. Even though the two holidays often spark controversy, it is important to value history from multiple perspectives and to make sure that all cultures are properly respected and celebrated.
Citations:
https://americanindian.si.edu/nk360/informational/columbus-day-myths
https://www.britannica.com/topic/Columbus-Day
Britannica Editors. “Columbus Day”. Encyclopedia Britannica, 18 Oct. 2025, https://www.britannica.com/topic/Columbus-Day. Accessed 25 October 2025.
https://www.kofc.org/en/news-room/articles/honoring-columbus-and-his-legacy.html
Flint, Valerie I.J.. “Christopher Columbus”. Encyclopedia Britannica, 10 Oct. 2025, https://www.britannica.com/biography/Christopher-Columbus. Accessed 25 October 2025.
https://www.osdia.org/commission-for-social-justice/columbus-day/ https://www.newsweek.com/full-list-states-celebrate-indigenous-peoples-day-2025-10854515
