Almost from the first day it was observed, the Columbus Day holiday has evolved.
The first Columbus Day observation took place in 1792, a celebration in New York City by the Society of St. Tammany. Columbus was a native Italian and by the latter half of the 19th century, the day was being celebrated by cities with large numbers of Italians, according to Britannica.
On the 400th anniversary, in 1892, President Benjamin Harrison officially recognized the day with a proclamation encouraging Americans to celebrate the diversity of America through the lens of the 400th anniversary of Columbus' journey across the Atlantic.
And in 1934, President Franklin Roosevelt declared Columbus Day a federal holiday. It has been observed on the second Monday of October since 1971. Or not observed. Or observed in a modified way.
As far back as the latter half of the 19th century, there were objections. Early groups rejected the holiday because of its association with Catholicism. More recently, objections have focused on the colonization of South America.
Today the holiday is a topic of much discussion, some of it heated, and its observation continues to evolve, with a number of alternatives now the norm. In some areas, it has become more of a celebration of Italian-American heritage. In others, it is a celebration of Native Americans.
The states of South Dakota, Hawaii, Alaska, and Oregon have replaced Columbus Day with Indigenous Peoples Day. Some cities have done the same.
