WASHINGTON, D.C. – President Donald Trump said Sunday in a post on Truth Social that he’s “bringing Columbus Day back.”
“I’m bringing Columbus Day back from the ashes. The Democrats did everything possible to destroy Christopher Columbus, his reputation, and all of the Italians that love him so much,” Trump wrote in his post.
“They tore down his Statues, and put up nothing but ‘WOKE,’ or even worse, nothing at all! Well, you’ll be happy to know, Christopher is going to make a major comeback. I am hereby reinstating Columbus Day under the same rules, dates and locations, as it has had for all of the many decades before!” he added.
Native American Day (also known as Indigenous People’s Day) and Columbus Day, while observed on the same day (the second Monday of October), serve different purposes. Indigenous Peoples’ Day celebrates the history and cultures of Native American peoples, often replacing Columbus Day as a means of acknowledging the negative impacts of colonization. Columbus Day, on the other hand, commemorates Christopher Columbus’s arrival in the Americas, a date that many Indigenous peoples view as the beginning of a period of oppression and genocide
South Dakota was the first state to officially celebrate Native American Day, replacing Columbus Day. This shift occurred in 1990 after the state legislature unanimously passed a bill, proposed by Governor George Mickelson, to recognize the second Monday in October as Native American Day. This action was part of a broader effort to acknowledge the state’s history and reconcile with its Native American population after a period of strained relations.
Key Events in South Dakota’s Native American Day History:
- Late 1980s: Governor George Mickelson, seeking “reconciliation” between Native Americans and non-Native residents, proposed a plan to declare 1990 a “Year of Reconciliation”.
- 1989: The South Dakota legislature unanimously passed the bill to rename Columbus Day as Native American Day and designate it a state holiday.
- 1990: South Dakota officially celebrated its first Native American Day on October 12th, marking the beginning of a yearly tradition.
Significance of the Shift:
- Reconciliation: The change was intended to acknowledge the state’s history of mistreatment and violence toward Native Americans, including events like the Wounded Knee Massacre and the forced assimilation through boarding schools, according to South Dakota Searchlight.
- Recognition: Native American Day honors the contributions and achievements of Native Americans, both past and present, and acknowledges the importance of their history and culture.
- Model for Others: South Dakota’s decision to celebrate Native American Day inspired other states and local governments to follow suit, with many replacing Columbus Day with Indigenous Peoples’ Day
In 2021, former President Joe Biden was the first United States president in office to issue a presidential proclamation marking Indigenous Peoples Day. Indigenous Peoples Day has been celebrated by increasing numbers of Americans in recent years on the same day as Columbus Day, as many have said that the violence Christopher Columbus inflicted on Native communities should not be glorified.
“For generations, Federal policies systematically sought to assimilate and displace Native people and eradicate Native cultures,” Biden said in the proclamation in 2021. “Today, we recognize Indigenous peoples’ resilience and strength as well as the immeasurable positive impact that they have made on every aspect of American society.”
In multiple Columbus Day proclamations from his first term, Trump did not mention Indigenous Peoples Day by name.
“Columbus’s spirit of determination and adventure has provided inspiration to generations of Americans. On Columbus Day, we honor his remarkable accomplishments as a navigator, and celebrate his voyage into the unknown expanse of the Atlantic Ocean,” Trump said in a proclamation from 2018.
“His expedition formed the initial bond between Europe and the Americas, and changed the world forever,” he continued. “Today, in that spirit, we continue to seek new horizons for greater opportunity and further discovery on land, in sea, and in space.”
