Is Christopher Columbus a hero who discovered the New World? A murderous explorer? Or something in between? Should the second Monday in October continue to be a federal holiday in his honor?
More than half a millennium after Columbus arrived in the New World, some Americans have debated how he should be remembered. For schoolchildren, Columbus is usually portrayed as a kind of American saint. Around the country, parades and monuments honor him. Admirers credit him as an explorer and man guided by his Christian faith. A 2005 survey found that most Americans have a positive view of Columbus, including many Native Americans.
Since the 500th anniversary of Columbus’ arrival took place in 1992, the legacy of his four expeditions has been re-examined. Critics and some historians hold him accountable for the exploitation and murder of indigenous people who already were living in the New World and for bringing slavery to the Western Hemisphere. A number of Native Americans are pushing to abolish the federal holiday or replace it with one that honors indigenous people, and a small number of states have already taken up this holiday as Indigenous Peoples’ Day, or Native Americans’ Day.
Background
Some parts of the country do not observe Columbus Day. South Dakota, Alabama and Hawaii have all renamed it, as have Berkeley, Calif., and Portland, Ore. A measure in the U.S. House of Representatives in 2005 called on Congress or the U.S. president to establish a legal paid public holiday recognizing Native Americans, but did not mention Columbus Day.
Opposition to such changes has come from many Italian-Americans who celebrate the Italian Columbus’ accomplishments as part of their heritage, as well as from some who applaud him as a man whose faith was central to his mission. Will grass-roots efforts and scattered actions lead to a new understanding of Columbus, a de-sanctification of his image and an end to his holiday?
Why it matters
Criticism of Columbus Day echoes debates over sensitivities involved in the portrayal of Native Americans in U.S. history. Are Indian names and mascots disrespectful? Is it insensitive to honor an explorer committed to spreading his Christian faith when Native Americans already had their own spiritual beliefs? Where does America draw the line between re-evaluating history and unfairly revising it?
Questions for reporters
- How will Columbus Day be marked in your region?
- Are there local monuments to Columbus?
- How do schools teach Christopher Columbus’ legacy?
- What do local Native Americans have to say about Columbus?
- Are Italian-Americans or others active on the issue?
- How is Columbus’ commitment to spreading Christianity viewed?
Developments
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“Apocalypticism explained: Christopher Columbus”
The PBS show Frontline did a special called Apocalypse, which included exploring whether Columbus believed he was on an apocalyptic, divinely-ordained mission. See a page of short essays.
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“Columbus Day 2012: Hero, Villain or Both?”
Read an Oct. 8, 2012 ABC News article about the history of Christopher Columbus finding the Americas, and how that story might change depending on the point of view.
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“Should the US continue to honor Columbus Day?”
Read a poll about whether or not Columbus Day should continue to be celebrated as a national holiday. This poll provides reasoning behind both sides of the debate.
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“Columbus Day Approaches Under Heavy Fire and a Call for Change”
Read an Oct. 5, 2012 Wired article about the movement to rename Columbus Day as “Exploration Day,” to preserve the history of America and its discovery while keeping the story true to its essence in regards to the violence towards the Native Americans.
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“Proclamation: Nordic explorer holiday”
Oct. 9 each year also honors Nordic explorer Leif Erickson, since a 2005 proclamation by President Bush.
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“A Native American’s View of Columbus Day”
Read an NPR investigation of what Columbus Day means for Native Americans.
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“Columbus Day Legacy”
Read a March 6, 2011 article about the “quintessential American issues of free speech and ethnic pride” against the Columbus Day parade debate in Denver, Colorado.
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“A Faithful Response”
The National Council of Churches adopted a resolution called “A Faithful Response” in 1990 calling the 500th anniversary of Columbus’ first landing and “the painful aspects of the American history of racism.”
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“Indigenous Activists Blast Columbus Day as ‘Propping Up of Racist Propaganda'”
Read an Oct. 10, 2005, Democracy Now transcript about activism for Indigenous Peoples Day.
National sources
American Indian advocates for 'Indigenous Peoples Day'
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George E. Tinker
George E. Tinker is professor of American Indian cultures and religious traditions at Iliff School of Theology in Denver. His books include, as author, Missionary Conquest: The Gospel and Native American Cultural Genocide (Fortress Press, 1993) and Spirit and Resistance: Political Theology and American Indian Liberation (Fortress Press, 2004); as co-author, A Native American Theology (Orbis Books, 2001); and, as co-editor, Native Voices: American Indian Identity and Resistance (University Press of Kansas, 2003).
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Mike L. Graham
Mike L. Graham, who is Cherokee, is founder of United Native America, which is working to abolish Columbus Day and create a federal national holiday for Native Americans. The online holiday petition which he started has more than 63,000 signatures.
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Bill Bigelow
Bill Bigelow, along with Bob Peterson, is editor of Rethinking Columbus: The Next 500 Years (Rethinking Schools, 1998). Bigelow works for Rethinking Schools magazine and teaches a class at Franklin High School in Portland, Ore. He is the curriculum editor of Rethinking Schools and the co-director of the Zinn Education Project.
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Buffy Sainte-Marie
Buffy Sainte-Marie, who is Cree, is a singer, composer, artist and educator. She founded and operates the Nihewan Foundation for Native American Education.
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Joseph Martin
Joseph Martin, a Menominee, was president of the National Native American Bar Association in 2005.
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Tex Hall
Tex Hall was president of the National Congress of American Indians twice, founded in 1944. Hall is chairman of the Mandan, Hidatsa and Arikara Nation in North Dakota and lives in New Town, N.D.
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Suzan Shown Harjo
Suzan Shown Harjo, who is Cheyenne and Hodulgee Muscogee, is president of the Morning Star Institute, a national Indian rights organization. She helps Native Americans regain the land that was taken from them, and preserved many sacred places.
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Dennis J. Banks
Dennis J. Banks, an Ojibwe, is chairman and co-founder of the American Indian Movement. The AIM site lists its speakers from around the country.
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Transform Columbus Day Alliance
The Transform Columbus Day Alliance has an international membership of more than 60 organizations.
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Indigenous Peoples Day Committee
The Indigenous Peoples Day Committee is based in Berkeley, Calif. Contact committee coordinator Rochelle Hays.
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Glenn T. Morris
Glenn T. Morris, who is Shawnee, is associate professor of political science at the University of Colorado, Denver, where he is executive director of the Fourth World Center for the Study of Indigenous Law and Politics. He is also a member of the Leadership Council of the American Indian Movement of Colorado, which annually protests the Columbus Day parade in Denver.
Morris supports abolishing Columbus Day but says an Indigenous Peoples Day would do nothing to alleviate issues concerning the Western Hemisphere’s native peoples, such as self-determination, religious freedom and poor socioeconomic and health conditions.
Academic advocates for 'Indigenous Peoples Day'
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Bernard McGinn
Bernard McGinn is Naomi Shenstone Donnelley Professor Emeritus of Historical Theology and of the History of Christianity in the Divinity School and the Committees on Medieval Studies and on General Studies. Read his thoughts about how Columbus was on an apocalyptic mission, from the PBS show Frontline.
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Paul Martin Lester
Paul Martin Lester is professor of communications at California State University-Fullerton. See a 1993 essay he published in Visual Anthropology about why Columbus should not be honored.
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James W. Loewen
James W. Loewen was a visiting professor of sociology at Catholic University of America, Washington, D.C., and the author of several books, including The Truth About Columbus (New York: The New Press, 1992).
Supporters of Columbus Day
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Dona De Sanctis
Dona De Sanctis resigned in 2007 from deputy executive director of the Order Sons of Italy in America, which does not support changing the name of the federal holiday. She is editor-in-chief of Italian America magazine and researches Italian American history and achievements.
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National Columbus Celebration Association
The National Columbus Celebration Association celebrates his historic achievement and his values, which it lists as faith, the courage of his convictions, dedication to purpose, perseverance in effort, professional excellence, and boldness in facing the unknown. It posts articles about the explorer. It’s based in Washington, D.C., where it sponsors celebrations.
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National Italian American Foundation
The National Italian American Foundation lists Columbus monuments nationwide.
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Robert Royal
Robert Royal serves as president of the Faith & Reason Institute and editor-in-chief of The Catholic Thing. His books include 1492 and All That: Political Manipulations of History and Reinventing the American People: Unity and Diversity Today.
He says that the controversy over Columbus Day has calmed and that most people do not believe that the United States is illegitimate country because Native Americans were here when explorers arrived.
Legislation
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“South Dakota celebrates Native American Day”
Read an article from The Jamestown Sun about South Dakota’s Indigenous Peoples’ Holiday that stands in place of the Columbus Day holiday.
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“Support for Native American Day scarce in Native America”
In Oklahoma a bill was introduced in 2005 that would have replaced Columbus Day with Native American Day. The bill did not receive a committee hearing.
Alternative celebrations
Regional sources
In the Northeast
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gkisedtanamoogk
gkisedtanamoogk, who is Wampanoag, teaches Native American studies at the University of Maine.
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Keith E. Sealing
Keith E. Sealing, is dean at Syracuse University’s College of Law in Syracuse, N.Y., tracks court cases involving American Indian religious issues. He has researched whether the First Amendment free-exercise clause should prohibit states from banning religiously motivated polygamy.
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Robert Odawi Porter
Robert Odawi Porter, a member of the Seneca Nation, is senior associate dean and professor at Syracuse University’s College of Law in Syracuse, N.Y. He is Dean’s Research Scholar of Indigenous Nations Law and directs The Center for Indigenous Law, Governance and Citizenship.
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John W. Hart
John W. Hart is professor of Christian ethics at Boston University’s School of Theology and has expertise in American Indians and North American indigenous religions. He has also written several books about Christian environmental theology
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Natalie Moore-Lopez
Natalie Moore-Lopez is president of Native Americans at Princeton University.
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Massachusetts Center for Native American Awareness
The Massachusetts Center for Native American Awareness is a nonprofit organization.
In the South
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“Native Americans’ Day in United States”
Read an article about Native Americans’ Day that explains when, where and how that day is celebrated.
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Sharlotte Neely
Sharlotte Neely is a professor of anthropology at Northern Kentucky University in Highland Heights. She has expertise in North American Indians, especially the Cherokee, Shawnee and Navajo. NKU has a Native American Studies program. She wrote Snowbird Cherokees: People of Persistence (University of Georgia Press, 1993) and co-wrote This Land Was Theirs: A Study of Native Americans (Mayfield Publishing, 1998).
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Phillip Martin
Phillip Martin was chief of the Mississippi Band of Choctaw Indians. Martin served as the Tribe’s principle elected official for 32 years, and had a record of service to the Tribal government of 40 years.
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Jace Weaver
Jace Weaver is a religion professor at the University of Georgia, Athens, who specializes in American Indian cultures and religious traditions. Weaver directs the university’s Institute of Native American Studies.
In the Midwest
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Melanie Benjamin
Melanie Benjamin is chief executive of the Mille Lacs Band of Ojibwe Indians, based in Onamia, Minn.
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Brian Buchanan
Brian Buchanan is chief of the Miami Nation of Indiana.
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Ben Nighthorse Campbell
Ben Nighthorse Campbell, who retired from public office after representing Colorado in the U.S. Senate (1993-2005) and the U.S. House (1987-93), is one of 44 chiefs of the Northern Cheyenne Tribe. He is an attorney in the Washington, D.C., office of Holland & Knight.
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Raymond J. DeMallie
Raymond J. DeMallie is professor of anthropology and adjunct professor of folklore at Indiana University, where he directs the American Indian Studies Research Institute. His books include, as co-editor, Handbook of North American Indians, Volume 13, Plains (Smithsonian Institution, 2001).
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Wayne H. Evans
Wayne H. Evans is a professor of South Dakota Indian studies at the University of South Dakota in Vermillion, S.D.
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Alfred Bone Shirt
Alfred Bone Shirt of St. Francis, S.D., is the contact person for the Dakota-Lakota-Nakota Human Rights Advocacy Coalition.
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Michelene E. Pesantubbee
Michelene E. Pesantubbee is assistant professor of religious studies and of American Indian and Native studies at the University of Iowa, Iowa City. Her publications include “In Search of the White Path: American Indian Peacebuilding” in Religion and Peacebuilding.
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John Hickenlooper
John Hickenlooper was elected Governor of Colorado in 2010 after being active and mayor of Denver in 2003. He recognizes and has acted on the Columbus v. Indigenous Peoples’ Day debate.
He wrote in a letter published Sept. 28, 2005, by the Rocky Mountain News that organizers of the city’s annual Columbus Day parade have the right to hold the event and that opponents have the right to lawfully protest.
In the West
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Gregory Cajete
Gregory Cajete, a member of the Santa Clara Pueblo, directs Native American studies at the University of New Mexico.
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Ward Churchill
Ward Churchill, who is Creek and Cherokee, was a professor of ethnic studies and coordinator of American Indian studies at the University of Colorado at Boulder. He is a leader in the American Indian Movement of Colorado. His numerous books include, as author, Speaking Truth in the Teeth of Power: Lectures on Globalization, Colonialism and Native North America (AK Press, 2006).
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Joe Shirley Jr.
Joe Shirley Jr. of Chinle, Ariz., is president of the Navajo Nation, which includes portions of Arizona, New Mexico and Utah. Contact George Hardeen.
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Jonathan Batkin
Jonathan Batkin directs the Wheelwright Museum of the American Indian in Santa Fe, N.M. He has been published widely on Pueblo Indian pottery and the Native American curio trade, including From the Railroad to Route 66: The Native American Curio Trade in New Mexico (Wheelwright Museum of the Amer, 2008).