Mailboxes sit outside of a Morris Plains, New Jersey post office on August 17, 2020 in Morris Plains, New Jersey. (Photo by Theo Wargo/Getty Images) Columbus Day commemorates Christopher Columbus’ historic exploration voyage to the Americas, though the holiday has seen a recent shift in observance to becoming Indigenous Peoples’ Day.
Indigenous Peoples’ Day is intentionally celebrated on Columbus Day in a call-out to the violence and harm Columbus and other explorers of the age brought about to the Americas.
Native Americans have campaigned for years for local and national days in recognition of the country’s indigenous peoples, with last year being the first time a U.S.
president marked the occasion. While Indigenous Peoples’ Day is still gaining traction, Columbus Day is still observed federally, meaning several businesses will be closed on Monday, Oct.