Columbus Day vs. Indigenous Peoples’ Day

Brut America

In 1492, Columbus "discovered" the Americas... where millions of people already lived. Here’s why some cities and states are replacing Columbus Day with Indigenous Peoples’ Day.

Transcript

00:00Columbus enslaved, colonized, mutilated, and massacred thousands

00:30of indigenous people in the Americas.

00:32We can immediately begin to acknowledge the negative historic and continuing

00:37impacts of European colonization on the indigenous peoples of the Americas and

00:42reaffirm the district of Columbia's commitment to equality, diversity, and

00:46inclusion for all.

00:47Recognizing today as Indigenous People Day is an opportunity to educate our

01:00youth and our broader community about the positive and enduring contribution

01:05of indigenous people.

01:18Let's celebrate today for the indigenous people. No one discovered.

01:37Columbus Day gave the immigrants something to identify with, something to

01:42be proud of at a time when they were being vilified here in America.

02:12Frankly, it's an accident of history that Columbus is honored this way in the

02:29first place.

02:30Columbus Day was officially designated at a federal holiday in 1937, despite the

02:35fact that Columbus did not discover North America, despite the fact that

02:39millions of people were already living in North America upon his arrival in the

02:44Americas, and despite the fact that Columbus never stepped foot on the shores

02:49of the current United States.

02:51It's something that has been instilled in us since, in Escobar, that in 1492

02:59Columbus was this great guy, was an explorer, was an adventurer, was going to

03:04be, you know, that was going to be a good person to us.

03:06But as we got older, we learned otherwise, that it wasn't true.

03:10And now I guess you could say the truth is out.

03:14The truth is out.

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