As Christopher Columbus Day becomes an increasingly criticized federal holiday, many cities are choosing to celebrate Native Americans instead. Many college universities are doing the same, as evidenced by the crowd gathered today on Bascom Hill of the University of Wisconsin-Madison.
Students gathered around the statue of Abraham Lincoln today with signs that pointed out that UW-Madison is located on sacred Ho Chunk land and that it holds historic Native American sites.
Since Columbus Day 2015, at least 14 communities in the United States have passed measures designating the second Monday in October Indigenous Peoples Day including the city of Madison. The movement is part of a broader attempt to clarify Columbus’s role in American history and connect indigenous identity to something more than controversies about sports teams and cultural appropriation.
Last week, the Associate Students of Madison Student Council passed legislation to recognize the second Monday of each October as Indigenous Peoples Day throughout the UW campus. Although UW-Madison does not formally recognize Columbus Day as a holiday, the resolution called on the Faculty Senate and UW Chancellor Rebecca Blank to officially name the date “Indigenous Peoples Day” to acknowledge the Native American community on campus and throughout Dane County.
By formally recognizing Indigenous Peoples Day over Christopher Columbus Day, ASM stated that they believe UW-Madison can better celebrate Native American heritage, especially for students who feel Columbus was an oppressive and brutal leader during early colonization in the U.S.
