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Louise Thomas
Editor
On Monday, October 14 the US will honor Columbus Day, or Indigenous Peoples’ Day.
Each year, US citizens remember the landing of Christopher Columbus in the “New World” on the second Monday in October. Under the flag and finance of Spain, the Italian explorer led the first expedition to the Americas from Spain, marking the initial arrival of Europeans in the region on October 12, 1492. It wasn’t until 1937 that Columbus Day became an official US national holiday.
Over the years, Indigenous activists have raised concerns over the American narrative on the conquests of European descendants, arguing that it has led Indigenous people to be marginalized. According to several historians, Columbus, and his group, enslaved, exploited, and violently attacked Native inhabitants of the West Indies from the very first day he arrived. In Columbus’ journal entry, the explorer wrote he enslaved six Native people upon arrival.
As a result of these findings, Columbus Day has been renamed Indigenous Peoples’ Day by several states and cities in the US. The day is meant to celebrate the Indigenous community in the United States – including Native Hawaiians, American Indians, and Native Alaskans – and reflect on their mistreatment throughout history. In 2021, President Joe Biden issued a presidential proclamation of Indigenous Peoples’ Day to “honor America’s first inhabitants and the Tribal Nations that continue to thrive today.”
While it’s not a federal holiday, many individuals are gearing up to celebrate the Jewish New Year, Rosh Hashanah. Known as the first of the Jewish High Holy Days, Rosh Hashanah begins on October 2 and ends at sundown on October 4.
Though the law recognizes specific federal holidays, this does not mean that individuals working for private businesses are required to have work off.
From Veterans Day to Christmas, here are the dates of the 2024 federal holidays.
New Year’s Day: Monday, January 1
Birthday of Martin Luther King, Jr.: Monday, January 15
Presidents’ Day: Monday, February 19
Memorial Day: Monday, May 27
Juneteenth National Independence Day: Wednesday, June 19
Independence Day: Thursday, July 4
Labor Day: Monday, September 2
Indigenous Peoples’ Day (also observed as Columbus Day): Monday, October 14
Veterans Day: Monday, November 11
Thanksgiving Day: Thursday, November 28
Christmas Day: Wednesday, December 25
Other important days to note:
Valentine’s Day: Wednesday, February 14
St Patrick’s Day: Sunday, March 17
Good Friday: Friday, March 29
Easter: Sunday, March 31
Passover: Monday, April 22
