Is Columbus Day In The US A Public Holiday?
Columbus Day in the US is a public holiday in many parts of the country. Most businesses, stores, and shops, as well as schools and universities, remain closed on this day. Public Transportations also do not follow their usual route in these states.
Why Does The US Celebrate Columbus Day?
Columbus Day in the US honors Christopher Columbus, who led a Spanish-based transatlantic maritime expedition in search of an alternative route to India via the Atlantic Ocean. In his foray across the waters, he reached the Americas first. He anchored down there, mistaken that they had reached the edges of Asia. His “discovery” of the New World opened routes for trade between the countries as well as gave way to European settlers.
Controversies Surrounding Columbus Day In The US
Although Christopher Columbus is credited for ‘discovering’ the Americas, however, many people also blame his arrival for the deaths of uncountable natives. As the European settlers arrived, they killed hundreds of the native Americans and indigenous tribes. As a result, opposition against the holiday as well as monuments of Columbus has been intense for as long as the 19th century.
Most Native Americans, as well as the left-wing political parties, have actively advocated against these celebrations. They have claimed that Columbus and the settlers do not deserve to be acknowledged, for they are the reason behind one of the biggest genocides of American Indians. In its stead, they believe in celebrating “International Day of Solidarity with Indigenous People” on this day.
Columbus Day Observances
| Year | Weekday | Date | Name | Holiday Type |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2019 | Mon | 14 October | Columbus Day | Federal Holiday |
| 2020 | Mon | 12 October | Columbus Day | Federal Holiday |
| 2021 | Mon | 11 October | Columbus Day | Federal Holiday |
| 2022 | Mon | 10 October | Columbus Day | Federal Holiday |
| 2023 | Mon | 9 October | Columbus Day | Federal Holiday |
| 2024 | Mon | 14 October | Columbus Day | Federal Holiday |
| 2025 | Mon | 13 October | Columbus Day | Federal Holiday |
FAQs
1. Is Columbus Day still called Columbus Day?
Two years later, Berkeley, California, was the first town to formally jettison the name of Columbus Day; the new moniker was Indigenous People’s Day.
2. Is Columbus Day a paid holiday?
According to Pew Research Centre, only 21 states give workers Columbus Day off as a paid holiday.
3. What states observe Columbus Day?
The states of Florida, Vermont, Alaska, South Dakota, Hawaii, New Mexico, Maine, Wisconsin, and parts of California.
4. Who found America first before Columbus?
Leif Erikson was the first known European to have set foot on continental North America before Christopher Columbus.
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