TULSA, Okla. — The second Monday in October is both Columbus Day and Native American Day in Oklahoma.
The dual celebration highlights a complicated past of observing American history.
2 News took a look at how the two holidays came to be and how they're observed in Oklahoma.
Columbus Day first became a holiday in 1937, with Franklin D. Roosevelt choosing Oct. 12 to observe the holiday. It was moved to the second Monday in October in 1971 to give workers a long holiday weekend.
The holiday's roots go even further back to celebrations in New York in the 1700s and a presidential proclamation on the 400th anniversary of Christopher Columbus' arrival in the Bahamas in 1892.
Columbus Day became a state holiday in 1911 by the Oklahoma state legislature.
Wide-spread calls to change the holiday sparked in the 70s by Indigenous activists, who argue that Columbus was not a discoverer but rather a colonizer who initiated the death and destruction of millions of Indigenous people and their cultures.
Activists say that celebrating the holiday is insensitive and doesn't accurately portray history. Some who still support celebrating Columbus Day say the holiday is more about Italian heritage than Christopher Columbus himself.
Fast forward to 2018, when then-Governor Mary Fallin vetoed a bill establishing the day as Native American Day.
Despite this veto, Tulsa and Oklahoma City began celebrating Native American Day on their own in 2018.
Only a year later,Gov. Kevin Stitt signed Senate Bill 111, which combined Native American Day and Columbus Day, meaning the state would still honor both holidays.
Stitt signed the bill, saying it was a fair compromise that gives Oklahoma residents an opportunity to celebrate both Columbus and the state's indigenous people.
The federal government has treated the holiday similarly. While the federal holiday is still Columbus Day, President Joe Biden signed a proclamation in 2021 recognizing Indigenous People's Day for the first time.
Some Legislators are pushing for the government to fully change the holiday to Indigenous People's Day instead of combining them.
Today is #IndigenousPeoplesDay – a celebration of Indigenous people, history, and culture. My bill – the Indigenous Peoples’ Day Act – establishes a federal holiday to acknowledge the painful legacy of colonization and uplift all Indigenous communities. https://t.co/J6IZ5VBoHG pic.twitter.com/yHwvic4KFT
— Rep. Norma Torres (@NormaJTorres) October 9, 2023
Choctaw Nation Chief Gary Batton released this statement about celebrating the holiday:
“Indigenous People across North America have a wide variety of backgrounds and beliefs, and we have all contributed to our communities in many ways, from arts and culture to jobs and economic development,” Batton said. “Indigenous Peoples’ Day is a time to reflect on the legacy of our ancestors and to think about how we can improve the world now and in the future.”
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