Comerford continues push for Indigenous Peoples Day
Published: 10-13-2024 10:31 AM |
BOSTON — State Sen. Jo Comerford is continuing her push to officially erase the memory of Christopher Columbus from the second Monday of October, and in its place make the day one of recognition for Indigenous peoples, as dozens of states have already done.
The Northampton Democrat sees traditional renditions of Columbus as a “flawed foundation” to build a historical sense as a people, and as a way of downsizing the impacts of colonialism.
“He has become a sort of mascot, which are hard to change people’s perceptions of, especially when his impact is often reduced to ‘Columbus sailed the ocean blue ...,’” Comerford said. “It’s hard to see a story steeped in racism and violence, which could have resulted in the genocide of a whole people.”
She added, “To say he discovered America, what does that say about the native people who were here flourishing, and are still flourishing, even here in the commonwealth of Massachusetts?”
A bill seeking to change the name of Columbus Day to Indigenous Peoples Day has twice been voted favorably in the state’s Joint Committee on State Administration and Regulatory Oversight, which she sees as indicative of support once it reaches a vote on the State House floor. It is unlikely to pass this legislative session, and will be refiled in January if it doesn’t pass by then. Comerford added that she will take whatever route she can to see it voted into law.
This bill is not a solitary push for the change, but part of a growing consensus to move on from Columbus Day and the historical baggage that comes with it. More than 20 communities in the state have changed the day’s focus to be America’s first residents, including several in Hampshire County. Northampton, Easthampton, Holyoke and Amherst are among approximately 220 cities in the U.S. to have changed the day’s name to Indigenous Peoples Day.
Various universities throughout the area and across the country have done the same.
Comerford laments the fact that Massachusetts is one of only 16 states that uphold the celebration, as most states have done away with Columbus Day in favor of Indigenous Peoples Day, or have implemented separate days for both to be observed. The legislation filed by Comerford seeks to “recognize the legacy of colonization” by changing the name to Indigenous Peoples Day, rather than instituting separate days as she views Columbus as “not worthy of memorialization or celebration,” according to a statement.
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On a federal level, Joe Biden was the first president to recognize Indigenous Peoples Day in 2021, and the day is celebrated alongside the current congressionally recognized holiday — Columbus Day.
Columbus Day was first federally celebrated in 1937 after approval by President Franklin Delano Roosevelt.
The holiday had been lobbied for by the Knights of Columbus, to acknowledge the more than 4 million Italian immigrants who entered the country between 1880 and 1924 and faced discrimination for being considered “non-white.” Even today, the Columbus Day Parade on Fifth Avenue in New York City remains among the largest ethnic Italian celebrations in the country, and will be celebrating its 80th anniversary Monday.
Comerford said that taking this Italian perspective of the holiday into account gets to “the heart of the question.” In her view the predominant issue with Columbus Day is a flawed rendition of history; a day praising a historical character that significantly wiped out the native population by enslavement and the spread of foreign diseases.
Comerford says that “Many Italian Americans support this bill...because we can do both,” and says that she speaks with constituents about this “all the time.”
She praised Italian immigrants for their achievements in science, art, culture and medicine, and says that Italian American Heritage Month — which is taking place now during October — is a way to celebrate and acknowledge the contributions of ethnic Italians.