From a human perspective, I think it was the start (or continuation) of a ton of things, many of which were absolutely abominable. Western culture bears just as much responsibility for horrors like slavery and near genocide of native people as it does for advancing past these. Other cultures were also involved in both.
IMO, Columbus day is just another example of our society trying to ignore all these horrors. I think we should celebrate the good things and actions and events in our history, and condemn the bad ones. I think Columbus falls pretty clearly on the bad side of this when there are so many contemporaries we could celebrate, both European and other, who were quite clearly doing good.
Unless you were a native, of course. Then it was the beginning of the end. For your freedom, your culture, your land and your way of life.
The bringing in of slaves was ‘the start of a great thing’, for southern growers…not so much for the slaves, of course.
How can you care about statues to racists and ignore a holiday to remember the beginning of a genocide? (Oh and the biggest mass shooting in American history? Is only what’s happening today if you entirely ignore the numerous outright slaughters of the native peoples.)
Like with any group a lot depends on the region and/or individual. I know fairly-full-blood-registered Natives who are fine with the various Italian “Indian” actors and wrestlers. I know others who go almost homicidal at the sight of the “pow-wow crowd” – or “polyester pawnee” as I’ve heard them called – even though most are of some Native heritage. Mileage varies widely. I almost wish we could get some more recognition is the US but then you get to the great debate over whose vision plays out.
Depends. I’ve known some who go for Native American, I’ve known some who rolled their eyes at Native American as overly PC and said “Just say Indian, man” (I can’t imagine how they’d react to Indigenous Peoples). I know the Smithsonian did a lot of tribal outreach when preparing their museum ('cause my wife was part of that) and settled on the Museum of the American Indian.
Honestly, it’s one of those “you gotta ask” things. There’s no consistent view on what people want to be called or what they think is offensive/tiresome.
In April 1934, as a result of lobbying by the Knights of Columbus and New York City Italian leader Generoso Pope, Congress and President Franklin Delano Roosevelt proclaimed October 12 a federal holiday under the name Columbus Day.
In 1934, Columbus Day became a federal holiday, to be celebrated on Oct 12th.
In 1970, the federal holiday’s celebration date was changed to the 2nd Monday in Oct.