1 Which History to Celebrate?: Columbus Day and Indigenous Peoples’ Day
Eunhye Hess; Svetlana Koltovskaia; and Amy Takebe
Introduction
Columbus Day is “a U.S. holiday on the second Monday in October when people in some states remember Christopher Columbus, one of the first Europeans to arrive in the Americas” (Cambridge Dictionary, n.d.). Since 1937, Columbus Day has been the U.S. federal holiday commemorating Christopher Columbus and Italian Americans. For decades, Christopher Columbus was portrayed as a hero until the brutal history of colonizing the Tribal lands was revealed. In 1992, the city of Berkeley in California chose to replace Columbus Day with Indigenous People’s Day, which is a move intended to honor the Tribal Nations and Indigenous peoples. For nearly 30 years, many other cities and states also began celebrating Indigenous Peoples’ Day until U.S. President Joe Biden proclaimed Indigenous Peoples’ Day as a U.S. federal holiday on the same day as Columbus Day in 2021.
Since then, numerous states and institutions have acknowledged and celebrated Indigenous Peoples’ Day on the second Monday of October. The proclamation of Indigenous People’s Day, however, is not perceived the same way. Some consider this proclamation the beginning of acknowledging the colonial history that Indigenous people suffered through. Some think that the legacy of Christopher Columbus is diminished by celebrating Indigenous Peoples’ Day. People with various historical and cultural backgrounds and perspectives bring the issue of which history to celebrate.
In this simulation, you will explore the history of Christopher Columbus, the Europeans’ colonization of the tribal lands in the U.S., and Columbus Day. In this simulation, you will take on the role of advocates for replacing Columbus day and advocates for Indigenous Peoples’ Day. In the following section of this chapter, you will discover the practical workings of the ‘Which history to celebrate? Columbus Day and Indigenous Peoples Day simulation’ and understand the valuable skills you can acquire by engaging in it.
Overview
This simulation engages you in critical discussions about the U.S. history of Native Americans as well as social justice. The chapter begins with an opportunity for you to discuss how the themes of the simulation relate to your own lived experience in the U.S. context. You will also engage in reading, listening, and research activities to help build your knowledge of debates around increasing Columbus Day and Indigenous Peoples’ Day. You will then take a position in the on-campus student government meeting on which holiday to celebrate by adopting a persona during the role-play phase. After reflecting on the role-play, you will either write a letter to the university’s president or produce a podcast on the student government’s position towards Columbus Day and Indigenous Peoples’ Day. As shown below, the simulation has five distinct phases.
How the simulation works
| Phase | Phase Description | Activities |
| 1 | Activation | Discussion 1 |
| 2 | Comprehension | Listening 1 & 2
Reading 1 |
| 3 | Simulation | Role assignment; Role preparation; Role playing |
| 4 | Reflection | Debriefing activity; Critical reflection |
| 5 | Application | Letter to the president, Podcast, or Essay |
You will gain a number of important skills as you participate in the simulation. These skills are sequenced from simple tasks such as defining and describing to more complex tasks such as synthesizing and evaluating.
After completing this simulation, you will be able to:
- make connections between your own lived experiences and social justice
- define key terms relating to Columbus Day and Indigenous Peoples’ Day
- describe the central arguments around the celebration of Columbus Day
- summarize issues related to the celebration of Columbus Day
- synthesize knowledge of U.S. history around Columbus Day
- evaluate the positions taken in the simulation
Phase 1: Activation
In this phase of the simulation, you will draw on your background knowledge of U.S. holidays, including Columbus Day. This will help prepare you for the listening and reading activities in Phase 2 of the simulation. It will also allow you to share your experiences and ideas with your classmates.
Discussion Activity 1
The table below shows some holidays in the U.S.
- Discuss some holidays in your country.
- Do you have a holiday that celebrates the legacy of an individual or a group of people? What is the background story of that individual, group, or culture?
- Describe the national holiday and discuss the historical event it celebrates. For example, Fourth of July; What is the purpose of celebrating a national holiday?
| Month | Holiday | Classification |
| January | Martin Luther King Jr. Day | Federal Holiday |
| March | St. Patrick’s Day | Observance |
| May | Memorial Day | Federal Holiday |
| June | Juneteenth | Federal Holiday |
| July | Independence Day | Federal Holiday |
| September | Labor Day | Federal Holiday |
| October | Indigenous People’s Day/
Columbus Day |
Observance/Federal Holiday |
| November | Veteran’s Day
Thanksgiving Day |
Federal Holiday |
| December | Christmas | Federal Holiday |
Phase 2: Comprehension
The purpose of this phase is to help you expand your knowledge of the debates around celebrating Columbus Day. You will watch two short videos and read one text. The videos provide you with some background information on Columbus Day and Indigenous Peoples’ Day. Review the questions below before watching the video. For Reading 1, you will answer a series of comprehension questions.
Listening Activity 1
Before Listening: Explore the meaning of the words below.explorer, set foot on, voyage, brutality, icon, idealized, symbol, iconic, heroic, indigenous, immigrants, patriotism, Knights of Columbus, a federal holiday, myth, civil rights, activist, opt-out, reject
Watch each part of the Vox Video Why the US celebrates Columbus Day and summarize the key arguments and facts.
- Part 1 (Timestamp – 00:00-01:20):
- Part 2 (Timestamp – 01:21-02:19):
- Part 3 (Timestamp – 02:20-4:05):
- Part 4 (Timestamp – 04:06-4:50):
Listening Activity 2
Listen to the NPR Words You’ll Hear: Indigenous Peoples Day and answer the following questions.
1. What is the background of the onset of Indigenous Peoples Day?
2. How is the Confederate statue debate similar to the Indigenous Peoples Day debate?
Reading Activity 1
Read A Brief History of Columbus Day (Time) and summarize key facts and controversy on Columbus Day.
Phase 3: Simulation
In this phase, you will be given a role to play in a simulated discussion event (i.e., 45 -minute panel discussion). It is important that you understand the context and your role to prepare for the role-playing.
The Context
OSU Student Government Association is holding a university-wide meeting for students, faculty, and staff to discuss whether OSU should celebrate Columbus Day or Indigenous People’s Day.
Agenda: Should OSU replace Columbus Day with Indigenous People’s Day?
Roles
You will be assigned a role to play in this phase of the simulation. There are three participant roles on each side of the debate and one moderator role.
Moderator: Representative from the OSU Student Government Association (played by the instructor)
Your task is to introduce the issue at the beginning of the presentation, welcome the participants, and moderate the presentation. Allow every participant (role) about 6-8 minutes to talk and make sure that everyone gets a turn to express their opinion. Develop one question for each group’s presentation and ask the question after their presentation. You will deliver the presentations to the OSU leadership group in order for them to determine their opinion on the issue based on the arguments provided.
IN FAVOR OF REPLACING COLUMBUS DAY WITH INDIGENOUS PEOPLE’S DAY
Role 1. OSU Native American Student Association
Description
- You are for replacing Columbus Day with Indigenous People’s Day. You argue Indigenous Peoples’ Day will be a good way to recognize Native Americans’ culture, history, and heritage and their contributions to the United States. Furthermore, it will provide a chance to acknowledge other indigenous people around the world. Thus, it will be an educational holiday to promote people’s awareness of the indigenous people around the world including those in America and learn more about them.
Role 2. Professor of Native American Studies (director of OSU Center for Sovereign Nations)
Description
- You are for replacing Columbus Day with Indigenous People’s Day. You argue Columbus Day does not reveal the fact that Christopher Columbus caused the genocide of several Native American communities. Columbus Day calls upon a cruel history that Native Americans went through. It serves as a reminder of the hundreds of years of colonial oppression. This is very disrespectful and hurtful to those of Native American heritage. Columbus is neither a good role model for Americans to follow nor a person to be celebrated.
Role 3. Native American Activist
Description
- You believe that people should stop celebrating Columbus Day because of the genocide he started in the Americas against Indigenous Peoples, and because of the myth that Columbus “found” North America, when Indigenous people have lived here for centuries. Instead of Columbus Day, we should celebrate Indigenous People’s Day in order to remember and celebrate the first people who lived on Turtle Island (North America).
Role 4. OSU Diversity and Inclusion Office Representative
Description
- You are in favor of replacing Columbus Day with Indigenous People’s Day. You argue that the university should align itself with values of diversity, inclusion, and respect for all its members. Celebrating Indigenous People’s Day would be a significant step towards recognizing the often overlooked contributions and histories of Native American students and faculty. Furthermore, by replacing Columbus Day, the university can show its commitment to creating an environment where all students feel recognized and valued.
Role 5. Museum Curator
Description
- You are in favor of replacing Columbus Day with Indigenous People’s Day. As a museum curator, you’ve seen firsthand how indigenous artifacts and histories attract and educate visitors. You believe that a nationally recognized Indigenous People’s Day would allow museums to spotlight and engage deeper with the rich tapestry of Native American histories, encouraging people to learn more and dispel many myths associated with Columbus Day.
AGAINST REPLACING COLUMBUS DAY WITH INDIGENOUS PEOPLE’S DAY
Role 6. The representative of the Italian American community
Description
- You are against replacing Columbus Day with Indigenous People’s Day. You argue that Oklahoma should keep Columbus Day because it serves as a unifying factor for the Italian American Community. Italians were discriminated against and subjected to stereotypes (e.g., the mafia, the vendetta, etc.);. For you, Columbus Day is not a day to recognize one person but a day to honor oppressed people’s contribution to the country.
Role 7. History Professor
Description
- You are against replacing Columbus Day with Indigenous People’s Day. You are for preserving history, and you believe this is a great educational opportunity. You argue that history is too complex, and we need to consider various aspects of historical events.
Role 8. Native American Activist
Description
- You are against replacing Columbus Day with Indigenous s People’s Day. You argue that instead of changing Columbus Day to Indigenous People’s Day, people should have an opportunity to celebrate Indigenous People’s Day on another day, which Native people can choose. This, you believe, is the best solution to that problem.
Role 9. Event Organizer
Description
- You are against replacing Columbus Day with Indigenous People’s Day. Your reasoning is logistical. As someone who plans national events, changing a widely recognized holiday would disrupt pre-planned events, marketing, and logistical operations that have already been set in motion for Columbus Day. While you recognize the importance of honoring Indigenous communities, you believe it would be more practical to introduce Indigenous People’s Day as a separate holiday, ensuring each gets its due attention without logistical conflicts.
Role 10. National Historian
Description
- You are against replacing Columbus Day with Indigenous People’s Day. From your perspective, every nation’s history is a blend of accomplishments and misdeeds. By erasing or replacing aspects of history, we risk forgetting lessons from the past. Columbus Day offers a chance for reflection and discussion, and its context can be broadened to encompass a more comprehensive narrative without discarding it entirely.
Phase 4: Reflection
Debriefing Activity: In small groups, discuss the following questions. Be prepared to share your thoughts with the whole class.
- What did you think about the topic for this simulation? Were you already familiar with it?
- Was it easy or difficult to create an argument for your side of the issue? Why?
- What did you think of your role in the simulation? Did you personally agree or disagree with your role’s required stance on the issue?
Critical Reflection Activity
- Did any of the participants/ groups make particularly persuasive arguments? If so, which one/s? What made the arguments more persuasive?
- Did any of the participants/groups make arguments that you thought were weak? If so, what were the arguments? What made them weak?
- Which individual participant did you find the most knowledgeable / most persuasive in the role play? Why?
- Which group did you find most persuasive? Why?
Phase 5: Application
OPTION 1: Infographic “Columbus Day versus Indigenous Peoples’ Day: Advantages and Disadvantages”
Prompt: Craft a comparative infographic showcasing the reasons in favor of and against celebrating Columbus Day and replacing it with Indigenous Peoples’ Day. Create a visual representation with two distinct columns—one for each viewpoint. Employ icons, graphics, images, and succinct text to encapsulate the primary points of contention. Strive for an equitable portrayal of both positions.
OPTION 2: Podcast “The Columbus Day Exploration”
Prompt: Your assignment is to create a podcast episode on the topic of Columbus Day. In this episode, you will delve into the complexities surrounding this historically significant day, drawing insights from historians, Indigenous activists, and everyday individuals. Your goal is to craft a comprehensive and well-balanced overview of this complex topic. The podcast episode should not exceed a maximum duration of 30 minutes. Students have the option to work either individually or in groups.
Option 3: Essay
Prompt: Write an argumentative essay where you express your position regarding the potential replacement of Columbus Day with Indigenous Peoples’ Day as a national holiday. In your essay, conduct a thorough analysis of the historical context of Columbus Day, the debates surrounding Christopher Columbus’s legacy, and the motives for advancing Indigenous Peoples’ Day.
References
Vox. (2017, October 8). Why the US celebrates Columbus Day. Retrieved on July 23, 2023 from https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=fNqOGhDMm8k
National Public Radio. (2017). Words you’ll hear: Indigenous Peoples Day. Retrieved on July 23, 2023 from https://www.npr.org/2017/10/08/556546488/words-you-ll-hear-indigenous-peoples-day
Fletcher, D. (2009, October 12). A Brief History of Columbus Day. Time.https://content.time.com/time/nation/article/0,8599,1929666,00.html
Robbt (2009) Indigenous Peoples Day. https://www.flickr.com/photos/53317685@N00/4040513262