Columbus Day

Columbus Day, observed on the second Monday in October (October 13, 2025), is a U.S. federal holiday marking Christopher Columbus’s 1492 arrival in the Americas, sparking the Age of Exploration. Celebrated with parades and events, especially by Italian-Americans honoring their heritage, it closes federal offices and banks. First recognized in 1792 by the Tammany Society, it became a federal holiday in 1968. However, it’s controversial due to Columbus’s role in colonizing and harming Native Americans, like the Taíno. Many states and cities, including Colorado and Berkeley, have replaced it with Indigenous Peoples’ Day to honor Native resilience. Internationally, countries like Spain (Día de la Hispanidad) and Latin American nations (Día de la Raza) mark the date differently. Protests and statue vandalism reflect ongoing debates. In 2025, President Trump’s proclamation reaffirmed Columbus Day, emphasizing Italian-American pride amid shifting observances.

Long Version

Columbus Day is a holiday observed in the United States and various countries across the Americas and Europe, commemorating Christopher Columbus’s arrival in the Americas on October 12, 1492. This event marked the beginning of European exploration and colonization of the New World, initiating the Age of Exploration and the Columbian Exchange, which involved the transfer of plants, animals, culture, human populations, and technology between the Old World and the New. In the United States, it is a federal holiday celebrated on the second Monday in October, with the 2025 observance falling on October 13. The holiday honors Columbus’s faith and courage as an Italian explorer sponsored by Spain, while also serving as a celebration of Italian-American heritage and Italian immigrants’ contributions to American society. However, it has become increasingly controversial due to its association with the violent impacts of colonization on Native American populations, leading to widespread protests, vandalism of statues and monuments, and the adoption of alternative observances like Indigenous Peoples’ Day.

History

The origins of Columbus Day trace back to the late 18th century. The first recorded celebration occurred on October 12, 1792, marking the 300th anniversary of Columbus’s landing, organized by the Tammany Society (also known as the Columbian Order) in New York City. This event highlighted Columbus’s exploration of the Americas, where he went ashore at Guanahaní in the Bahamas, believing he had reached the East Indies. His voyages, funded by the Spanish Crown, led to the establishment of La Isabela on Hispaniola in 1493, the first permanent European settlement in the New World.

In the 19th century, Italian immigrants in the United States began promoting the holiday as a way to celebrate their Italian heritage amid discrimination. The first Italian-American observance took place in New York City on October 12, 1866. Following the lynching of 11 Italian immigrants in New Orleans in 1891, President Benjamin Harrison proclaimed a one-time national celebration for the 400th anniversary in 1892 to ease diplomatic tensions with Italy and promote patriotism, including the introduction of the Pledge of Allegiance.

The push for a permanent holiday gained momentum in the early 20th century. Angelo Noce, an Italian-American in Denver, lobbied for recognition, leading to the Colorado Proclamation in 1905, making Colorado the first state to observe it officially in 1907. In 1934, lobbying by the Knights of Columbus and Italian-American leader Generoso Pope prompted Congress to request annual presidential proclamations for October 12. President Franklin D. Roosevelt issued the first such proclamation, emphasizing Columbus’s achievements. During World War II, on Columbus Day 1942, Roosevelt announced the removal of Italian Americans from “enemy alien” status, aiding citizenship for many.

The holiday became a federal one in 1968 when President Lyndon B. Johnson signed legislation, effective from 1971, shifting it to the second Monday in October for a three-day weekend. It adjoins the U.S. Navy’s founding anniversary on October 13, 1775, and often coincides with Canadian Thanksgiving.

Observance in the United States

As a federal holiday, Columbus Day closes federal offices, the U.S. Postal Service, banks, and many schools and businesses, though stock exchanges like NYSE and Nasdaq remain open. Celebrations include parades, special church services, and events honoring Italian-American culture. The New York City event is the largest, drawing over 35,000 marchers and a million viewers, while the San Francisco celebration, dating back to 1868, is the oldest continuous one, founded by Nicola Larco. In Puerto Rico, it is a legal holiday known as Día de la Raza, and in the U.S. Virgin Islands, it doubles as Puerto Rico Friendship Day. Virginia combines it with Yorktown Victory Day.

However, observance varies regionally. Only 16 states and American Samoa exclusively recognize it as Columbus Day with paid time off for state workers, while 30 states acknowledge it in some form. States like Hawaii observe it as Discoverers’ Day (honoring Polynesian explorers), and South Dakota as Native American Day. Non-observance has grown, with states such as Alaska, Vermont, New Mexico, Maine, and Minnesota replacing it entirely. Cities like Berkeley (since 1992), Los Angeles, Seattle, and Denver have shifted to alternatives, with over 221 cities renaming or replacing it. Colorado, which pioneered statewide recognition, replaced it with Frances Xavier Cabrini Day in 2020.

International Observance

Beyond the United States, October 12 is marked in various ways. In Italy, it is Giornata Nazionale di Cristoforo Colombo, celebrating Columbus’s Genoese roots with events like the Regata di Colombo regatta. Spain observes it as Fiesta Nacional de España or Día de la Hispanidad, coinciding with the feast of Our Lady of the Pillar, emphasizing Hispanic ties since 1918.

In Latin America, it is often Día de la Raza, commemorating the encounter between Europeans and indigenous peoples. Argentina renamed it Day of Respect for Cultural Diversity in 2010; Colombia as Día de la Diversidad Étnica y Cultural in 2021; Peru as Día de los Pueblos Originarios y el Diálogo Intercultural since 2009; Venezuela as Día de la Resistencia Indígena since 2002; Mexico as Day of the Pluricultural Nation since 2020; and El Salvador abolished it in 2021. In the Caribbean, Belize observes Indigenous People’s Resistance Day (renamed in 2021), and the Bahamas shifted to National Heroes Day in 2001. The 1937 Columbus Lighthouse in the Dominican Republic, funded by Cuba and the Dominican Republic, houses disputed remains of Columbus and serves as a museum.

Controversy and Opposition

Columbus Day has faced significant controversy, particularly from Native American groups who view it as a celebration of colonization, genocide, enslavement, and the devastation of indigenous populations like the Taíno peoples. Critics, including anthropologist Jack Weatherford and historian Howard Zinn, highlight Columbus’s exploitation, mutilation, and enslavement of natives, as documented by Bartolomé de las Casas. Opposition began post-1892, with nativist groups like the Ku Klux Klan resisting due to anti-Catholic and anti-immigrant sentiments.

The 1992 quincentennial sparked global protests, including gatherings in Quito and Davis declaring October 12 as International Day of Solidarity with Indigenous People. Vandalism and protests have targeted statues and monuments, such as the 2004 toppling in Caracas and removals in Mexico City (2020) and Argentina. The American Indian Movement argues it masks ongoing injustices.

Alternative Observances

In response, many locales have adopted Indigenous Peoples’ Day, first proposed at a 1977 UN conference and implemented in Berkeley in 1992. It honors Native American histories, cultures, and resilience, observed on the second Monday in October in states like Maine (2019), New Mexico (2019), and Minnesota, and cities including Austin, Boise, Cincinnati, and Philadelphia. President Joe Biden issued the first federal proclamation in 2021, though it is not a federal holiday. Other variants include Native American Day in South Dakota and Oklahoma, and Indigenous People’s Resistance Day in Belize.

Cultural Significance

Columbus Day underscores Italian-American pride, with depictions in art like Dióscoro Puebla’s “First Landing of Columbus on the Shores of the New World” (1862) and monuments such as the 1792 Columbus Obelisk in Baltimore. It symbolizes the spirit of discovery, though debates persist over its narrative of progress versus harm.

Recent Developments

In 2025, President Donald Trump signed a proclamation on October 9 declaring October 13 as Columbus Day, calling Columbus “the original American hero” and criticizing efforts to “erase” history. This reversed Biden-era dual recognitions, emphasizing Italian-American heritage amid ongoing shifts, with around 30 states and Washington, D.C., not celebrating Columbus Day. Protests and discussions continue, reflecting broader conversations on history and reconciliation.

Hashtags For Social Media

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Long Version

History

Observance in the United States

International Observance

Controversy and Opposition

Alternative Observances

Cultural Significance

Recent Developments

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