Indigenous people's Day

"Contrary to what our grandparents and perhaps parents were taught, Christopher Columbus did not discover America in 1492. The land had been inhabited for centuries, and other explorers from Europe, Asia, and Africa had already landed here.  Neither were his voyages decisive straws breaking the back of the flat earth myth. Renaissance scholars inherited their surety about a rounded shape of the world from antiquity. Nineteenth-century author Washington Irving is responsible for ascribing that feat to Columbus in his 1828 publication, The Life and Voyages of Christopher Columbus, a fictional account represented as biographical."  (from Teaching About Columbus Day: Myth busters)

With Columbus Day being a federal holiday in our country, we have an opportunity and an obligation to examine this commemoration with a critical eye and support our students in coming to an understanding about Columbus Day that shines a critical light on the myths of the past and the impacts of European conquest and colonialism in the Americas that continues to affect us today.  

This can be a controversial topic for many.  Some cities, states, and districts have moved to abolish Columbus Day in favor of creating an Indigenous People's Day, while others embrace Columbus Day as a celebration, not just of Columbus, but of Italian-American heritage.  Use the resources below to learn more and the consider using some of the lessons below with your students.