Every year when Oct. 11 rolls around we see people taking the day off of work and celebrating Columbus Day.  But we also see the push to show recognition to Native Americans who this land first belonged to. 

This makes people think about what this holiday is really celebrating. We should use this time to pay tribute to Native Americans.

Columbus Day became a legal holiday in 1971. But according to Times Record News, Indigenous Peoples’ Day was first considered in 1977 during a United Nations conference.

The fact that Indigenous Peoples’ Day was first considered at the UN was momentous because it meant that the story of the Native American genocide had made it to the global stage. 

Since then, many cities and states have taken the step to rename Columbus Day as Indigenous Peoples’ Day.  

In fact, Gov. Edwards declared Louisiana’s first Indigenous Peoples’ Day in 2019.  We no longer celebrate Columbus Day.  

This is a step in the right direction, and all other states that still observe Columbus Day should consider renaming the holiday. 

Many see Columbus Day as just a day off of work and don’t even celebrate the holiday anyway. If this is the case, why does Columbus Day even exist? 

According to History television network, Columbus Day commemorates the landing of Christopher Columbus in the Americas in 1492.

While Columbus did land in the Americas, he did not discover it.  There were many Native Americans that already called this land home, but they quickly had it taken away after Columbus and his band of thieves entered the Americas. 

Also, according to the Washington Post, Columbus never stepped foot in what is now the U.S. So it shouldn’t have become a holiday in the first place. It makes no sense.

Columbus and the colonists killed many Native Americans. They ruthlessly claimed land that was not theirs to take and left death and destruction in their wake.  But this is rarely taught in history classes.  

The destruction that Columbus caused was sadly only the beginning for Native Americans, as millions have been killed since then, according to Insider. 

You have probably heard the phrase, “History is written by the victors.”  And that’s definitely true here.  Native Americans have had their land taken from them. They are still being suppressed to this day.

Instead of celebrating a mass murderer, we should give tribute to Native Americans and the part that they play in our history.