Columbus Day
Columbus Day is a federal holiday commemorating the voyage and landing of Italian explorer Christopher Columbus on October 12, 1492, in the New World. Columbus was commissioned by the Spanish monarchs Ferdinand and Isabella to find a faster route to Asia, but instead, he made the ‘discovery’ that is now known as North America.
Despite the proclamation, Columbus Day is still observed as a federal holiday, especially in 16 states, with officially recognized holidays. According to research by Pew, local communities continue to celebrate Columbus Day, despite the controversies surrounding Columbus and his actions.
Examining Christopher Columbus Day: An Indigenous Perspective
According to Reginaldo Morales, an assistant professor at North Western University, celebrating Christopher Columbus Day means we are overlooking the documented history of his atrocities. He is of Native American descent and educates on issues affecting Native Americans in the media and addresses environmental issues affecting communities worldwide.
“We know that in terms of Columbus’s character, local people have compared it to Hitler,” Morales said. While there are certain distressing aspects within the narrative, it is crucial for us to comprehend the insensitivity of Columbus Day celebrations and their potential impact on Native Americans or communities today.”
Christopher Columbus’s Violent History
In 1492, Columbus embarked on a journey across the Atlantic Ocean. Many people are taught about this journey in American schools as an early lesson, but poetry often leaves out the widespread violence Columbus brought with him.
Morales stated that Columbus and his men “escalated violence to levels of genocide that no Europeans had reached in the Americas before.”
Some examples of Columbus’s atrocities, as highlighted by Philadelphia Magazine
- Columbus had the hands of approximately 10,000 local inhabitants of Haiti and the Dominican Republic cut off because they failed to provide gold every three months.
- He inflicted brutal punishments and amputations for minor crimes.
- Columbus and his crew hunted local people for sport and left them for hunting dogs to tear apart.
- Columbus had the legs of local children cut off who attempted to escape.
- He facilitated the sexual slavery of girls as young as nine and ten.
Morales said, “There’s no justification for commemorating the legacy or character of this wrongdoer simply because we choose to ignore those facts.”
Why Columbus Day Remains Controversial
In the light of documented injustices against Native Americans, Morales stated that celebrating Columbus Day means we are ignoring the deep-rooted history of inequality. He said, “We can analyze those actions within the framework of our current laws and explore the deeply ingrained foundations of inequality throughout the continent.”
 We can see how they became ingrained in the ideals of white supremacy, leading to various forms of racism.”
The consequences include health, economic, and disproportionate environmental impacts on Native Americans in this hemisphere, with the expected lifespan of Native Americans being lower compared to other ethnic groups.
Morales explained that Native Americans have been here for 1,600 years, but the peculiarities of their central stories are limited to the last 500 years of population explosions. This implies that there is hope for the future of Native American communities.
Business Hours on Columbus Day
Banks
Federal Reserve Banks will be closed on Monday. However, markets will remain open, and trading will take place on Nasdaq and the New York Stock Exchange.
Of the major American banks, branches of Bank of America, Wells Fargo, and Citibank will be closed.
Chase Bank and TD Bank branches will remain open for regular business hours.
As always, you can use online banking or ATM services.
The United States Postal Service will be closed, and there will be no mail delivery on Monday.
However, if you need to send mail, UPS and FedEx are likely to be operational. FedEx Express and FedEx Ground Economy will offer modified services. UPS will operate as usual.
Stores
Most major retailers, such as Target, Walmart, and Kroger, will remain open. Make sure to check the business hours of local businesses.
Government Offices
Since this is a federal holiday, government buildings will be closed. This includes DMVs, libraries, courts, and offices.
May You Like: Indigenous Peoples’ Day
