Columbus Day: What Are We Really Celebrating?

Why Do the United States Celebrate Columbus Day?

Every second Monday of October, people across the United States celebrate Columbus Day. It’s one of those holidays many people know by name but aren’t always sure why it exists or what it really means. So, why does the U.S. celebrate Columbus Day — and why has it become such a debated holiday in recent years? Let’s take a closer look.

The Story Behind Columbus Day

Columbus Day honors Christopher Columbus, the Italian explorer who sailed across the Atlantic Ocean in 1492 under the flag of Spain. His goal was to find a faster route to Asia — but instead, he landed in what we now call the Bahamas. This moment is often described as the “discovery” of the Americas, though people had already been living in these lands for thousands of years.

While Columbus never actually set foot on what is now the United States, his voyages marked the beginning of centuries of exploration and, eventually, the creation of modern nations like the U.S. That’s why early Americans saw him as an important figure in their story.

How the Holiday Started

The idea of celebrating Columbus began way back in the late 1700s. After the American Revolution, the young United States was looking for symbols of courage, exploration, and new beginnings — values that matched what Columbus represented.

The first recorded Columbus Day celebration took place in 1792 in New York City, marking 300 years since his first voyage. But it wasn’t until much later, in the 19th century, that the holiday became more popular.

For many Italian Americans, Columbus became a symbol of pride. During a time when Italian immigrants faced discrimination and hardship, celebrating Columbus was a way to honor their heritage and contributions to American society.

Their efforts paid off — in 1937, President Franklin D. Roosevelt declared Columbus Day a national holiday. Originally, it was celebrated every October 12, but in 1971, the date was changed to the second Monday of October to give people a long weekend.

How Americans Celebrate

For decades, Columbus Day has been marked by parades, cultural festivals, and community events, especially in cities with large Italian-American populations like New York, Chicago, and San Francisco. Schools and offices sometimes close, and the day is often used to talk about the history of exploration and discovery.

For many Americans, the holiday is a reminder of adventure, bravery, and the spirit of discovery — traits that helped shape the country’s identity. But over time, people began looking at this part of history more deeply, leading to a new conversation about what Columbus Day really represents.

The Other Side of the Story

In recent decades, Columbus Day has become one of the most talked-about holidays in the U.S. That’s because many people believe it should also recognize — or even replace — Columbus’s legacy with the stories of the Indigenous peoples who lived in the Americas long before his arrival.

For Native American communities, Columbus’s arrival wasn’t the beginning of something new — it was the start of colonization, loss of land, and centuries of hardship. The diseases, violence, and forced labor that followed European exploration had devastating effects on Indigenous populations.

Because of this, many people now choose to observe Indigenous Peoples’ Day instead of Columbus Day. This newer holiday celebrates the history, culture, and resilience of Native peoples who have lived in the Americas for thousands of years.

Columbus Day vs. Indigenous Peoples’ Day

Today, there’s a growing shift in how the holiday is observed. Some states and cities — including California, New Mexico, and Maine — have replaced Columbus Day with Indigenous Peoples’ Day. Others celebrate both on the same day to encourage learning and understanding from all sides of history.

In 2021, President Joe Biden became the first U.S. president to officially recognize Indigenous Peoples’ Day, calling it a time to honor Native communities and their contributions to the country.

So now, depending on where you are in the U.S., you might see Columbus Day celebrations, Indigenous Peoples’ Day events, or both happening at the same time.

What the Holiday Means Today

Columbus Day today means different things to different people. For some, especially those with Italian roots, it’s a day to celebrate heritage, hard work, and cultural pride. For others, it’s a day of reflection — a reminder to recognize the full history of how the Americas were changed forever by European colonization.

Schools and organizations now use this time to teach both sides of the story — Columbus’s achievements in exploration, and the impact those voyages had on Indigenous peoples. This approach helps promote awareness, empathy, and a more complete understanding of the past.

Looking at the Bigger Picture

The story of Columbus Day is really a story about how societies grow and change. What started as a celebration of exploration has evolved into a broader conversation about inclusion, respect, and truth.

As Americans continue to learn more about their shared history, many are finding ways to use this day to bring people together rather than divide them. Whether you celebrate Columbus Day, Indigenous Peoples’ Day, or simply take the day to reflect, the goal is the same — to remember how the past shapes the present and how we can create a more understanding future.

In the End

The United States celebrates Columbus Day because it’s part of its historical roots — a nod to the age of exploration and the spirit of discovery. But as times change, so does our understanding of history. Recognizing both Columbus’s role and the experiences of Indigenous peoples allows everyone to honor the past with honesty and respect.

In the end, Columbus Day isn’t just about one explorer’s journey — it’s about how we choose to tell our collective story and how we continue to learn from it, together.