Indigenous Peoples’ Day is a holiday in the United States created in response to Columbus Day, a national holiday dedicated to celebrating the explorer who led expeditions to the Americas starting in 1492.
Since then, Italian explorer Christopher Columbus – who completed four voyages for Spain across the Atlantic Ocean – has become a controversial figure in history. As a result, many states and cities have decided to rename the holiday in honor of the Indigenous communities who already lived in the Americas before his arrival, and call attention to the violence committed against Native Americans since Columbus and his crews arrived on shore.
