Instead of Columbus Day, some celebrate Indigenous People's Day Kiyanna Elliott

Summary: Schools and cities are celebrating Indigenous People's Day instead of Columbus day. Columbus Day was first celebrated by President Benjamin Harrison in 1892, the 400th anniversary of Columbus' landing in the Bahamas in 1492, made into a federal holiday by President Franklin D. Roosevelt in 1937, and established as the second Monday of October by President Nixon, but now there is effort in trying to get the focus on Columbus shifted onto clarify his role and focusing on native culture in american history. With this in mind, there are protest by people who see the day as a way to celebrate Italian-American culture, not Columbus himself.

Analysis: This is a perfect example of the status of Native Americans throughout the Americas. Just like when the first explorers like Columbus came to America, the lives of the Native were virtually erased. This shift is a way for the descendants of these Native people to try and preserve what history that wasn't erased. When I read about the resistance by people of Italian-american background, I think it's misguided. Christopher Columbus wasn't here to establish any Italian claim in the New World. His mission was to map an easier route to India. He just happened to find something completely different from the initial goal. He wasn't even operating under the Italian government. That is what Columbus day is. So whatever idea that these italian-americans have of what Columbus day is about is incorrect. I also feel that Columbus day is basically the celebration of the time marked in history that started the decline of the Native life. It's not something that should be necessarily celebrated. Acknowledged? Yes. But setting a day apart as a holiday where some people benefit in the form of a vacation day isn't the direction we should be taking in recognizing something that makes up America.

Source: http://www.cnn.com/2015/10/09/living/columbus-day-feat/index.html