(Lois Raimondo/The Washington Post)For three years, the state of Vermont has been celebrating the second Monday of October, traditionally and federally labeled as Columbus Day, as Indigenous Peoples’ Day. Now, the state is one signature away from abolishing Columbus Day altogether and permanently recognizing Indigenous Peoples’ Day — a trend gaining traction in states nationwide as Americans reckon with the colonization and harm intertwined with Christopher Columbus’s legacy. Some opponents to the Vermont bill sought to preserve Columbus Day, proposing instead the dedication of a day in February to recognizing indigenous people. Two other states, New Mexico and South Dakota, have already legally renamed Columbus Day. Alaska declared an Indigenous Peoples’ Day state holiday in 2017 — though it had never recognized Columbus Day.

Source: Washington Post April 20, 2019 16:18 UTC