Christopher Columbus is widely recognized as one of the earliest explorers reaching North America. He has been honored for well over 100 years on this October holiday, with Columbus Day becoming a federal holiday in 1937.
However, the negative effects of Columbus’s arrival in terms of the devastation caused to the lives of Native Americans had been ignored until well into the 20th century.
Today, there are a number of online resources available to learn more about what happened to the peoples already living in North America and their descendants.
Here are a few to get you started:
Why Columbus Day Courts Controversy
Columbus Day or Indigenous Peoples’ Day? How the Holiday Has Been Shaped by Oppression
Unlearning Columbus Day Myths: Celebrating Indigenous Peoples’ Day
Rethinking How We Celebrate American History – Indigenous Peoples’ Day
From Columbus Day to Indigenous Peoples Day
Maybe it’s time for Columbus Day to become part of American past history.