Why do some Massachusetts lawmakers want to change Columbus Day?

BOSTON (WWLP) – A western Massachusetts state senator is leading the charge to change Columbus Day to Indigenous Peoples’ Day.

There are 34 states in the country that have formally done away with Columbus Day. Some opted to celebrate Indigenous Peoples Day instead, while others chose not to recognize the day at all.

This leaves Massachusetts as one of just 16 states that celebrates Columbus Day, even as President Joe Biden commemorated Indigenous Peoples Day for the first time in 2021. In Massachusetts, Columbus Day is traditionally taken to celebrate Christopher Columbus’ 1492 arrival to the Bahamas.

While millions of people already lived in the Americas, and Columbus never set foot in North America, it is a common misconception that Columbus Day celebrates the discovery of America.

Another common misconception is that Columbus sought to prove the world is round. In 1492, most educated Europeans already believed the world was round. In fact, Columbus set out to prove it was possible to sail around it.

Complicating his intentions with this voyage, Columbus had struck a deal with Spanish royalty, which stipulated that he could keep 10 percent of any gold, spices, or other treasures he took from his journey.

When Columbus arrived in Hispaniola, or modern-day Haiti and the Dominican Republic, in December 1492,  he encountered an indigenous population. Historical accounts read that the indigenous people willingly traded jewelry, livestock, and supplies with the European sailors.

According to Columbus’ diary, the indigenous people were unarmed, and therefore “should be good servants.” The indigenous people were forced into slavery and were punished with mutilation or death if they did not collect enough gold for Columbus and his men.

Between this treatment and the introduction of new diseases from Europe, the indigenous people were decimated within decades. Notably, the Spanish government stripped Columbus of his title of governor of the territory due to the mistreatment of indigenous peoples.

From Old World scholars to Massachusetts citizens, there is still debate about how much culpability Columbus has for the death and mistreatment of certain groups of indigenous peoples.

For some, the treatment of Indigenous people under his leadership is exploitative and is not worth celebrating every second Monday in October. For others, despite his treatment of indigenous people, Columbus’ contributions to the creation of the modern world are remarkable enough to warrant a remembrance day.

It is from this debate on whether Columbus should be commemorated that Indigenous Peoples Day comes into play as an alternative group to celebrate.

Indigenous Peoples Day, also called First People’s Day or Native American Day, celebrates and honors the history and cultures of Indigenous American people.

This day stands in opposition to Columbus Day, as European contact with indigenous people directly led to loss of land, loss of life, and disruption of essential traditions. It aims to create a more complete narrative of European colonization of the Americas.

Senator Jo Comerford represents parts of Hampshire, Franklin, and Worcester counties. On Friday, she released a statement calling for an official change to Indigenous Peoples Day.

“Christopher Columbus did not discover the Americas,” said Comerford. “That myth — steeped in racism and violence — has allowed generations to credit a European man with discovering a land already teeming with societies.”

As part of her effort to change this remembrance day, Comerford filed a bill, S. 1976 An Act Establishing Indigenous Peoples Day, in the 2023-2024 legislative session. This bill was voted favorably out of committee, which advanced it further in the consideration process, but it did not cross the finish line this session.

A very similar bill was voted favorably out of committee before dying in the 2021-2022 legislative session.

According to Act on Mass, an advocacy group that supports this legislation, several other western Massachusetts lawmakers have co-signed versions of this bill, including Representatives Mindy Domb, Lindsey Sabadosa, Pat Duffy, Natalie Blais, and Tricia Farley-Bouvier.

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