Monday marked National Indigenous Peoples’ Day, which acknowledges the history of Indigenous people and their hardships while celebrating their culture and contributions to America. Monday was also Columbus Day, a holiday no longer recognized by California or USC.
According to the Library of Congress, Columbus Day began in 1892 when 23rd US President Benjamin Harrison issued a proclamation recommending “the observance in all [American] localities of the 400th anniversary of the discovery of America,” describing Columbus as “the pioneer of progress and enlightenment.”
In recent years Columbus Day has been denounced by activists and Indigenous Americans, and has declined in popularity because of their argument that “Christopher Columbus isn’t an appropriate person to celebrate,” according to Pew Research Center.
President Biden officially recognized Indigenous Peoples’ Day in 2021 after decades of efforts by activists to replace Columbus Day. The White House stated that “our nation celebrates the invaluable contributions and resilience of Indigenous peoples, recognizes their inherent sovereignty, and commits to honoring the Federal Government’s trust and treaty obligations to Tribal Nations.” According to the Pew Research Center, only 16 states and one territory still observe Columbus Day.
USC students have varying perspectives on whether these holidays should be observed. Elaine Luiz, a sophomore studying Biochemistry, said she took the day to celebrate her own culture.
“I usually prefer Indigenous Peoples’ Day,” said Luiz. “My family is native Hawaiian, so I prefer to celebrate that.”
Sethen Perez, a sophomore studying journalism, said he thinks there’s value in celebrating both causes.
“I definitely don’t have a preference [of whether to celebrate Columbus Day or Indigenous Peoples’ Day.] I think both should be highlighted,” said Sethen Perez, a sophomore studying journalism.
“I think growing up there is a heavy emphasis on Columbus Day, especially in schools. I feel like the Indigenous Peoples’ Day didn’t come around and I didn’t hear about it until recently,” Perez continued. “It’s definitely important to highlight Indigenous people, to highlight [that] they were here first. Their culture is super important to learn about.”
To recognize Indigenous Peoples’ Day, the USC Dornsife Center for Advanced Genocide Research hosted an online lecture called “Contested Pasts: Remembering and Forgetting Colonial Violence in Aotearoa,” led by University of Wellington Professor Joanna Kidman, a Māori sociology academic, and Dr. Vincent O’Malley, a founding partner of HistoryWorks.
Additionally, USC Visions and Voices is collaborating with LA SKINS FEST, a yearly Native American film festival that celebrates Native American Heritage Month, for a screening and Q&A with the filmmakers of Lakota Nation vs. United States. This screening will be held at the Norris Cinema Theatre at 7 p.m. on Monday, and RSVPs can be made here.