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Mass. hearing again pits Indigenous Peoples' Day against Columbus Day as lawmakers, advocates clash
Summary
At a joint legislative hearing, Native leaders, Italian American groups and legislators debated bills to replace Columbus Day with Indigenous Peoples' Day, create an Indigenous holiday in August, or preserve Columbus Day; no formal vote was taken.
Chair and members of the Joint Committee on State Administration and Regulatory Oversight heard hours of testimony on competing proposals to mark the second Monday in October as Indigenous Peoples' Day, to keep Columbus Day while creating a separate Indigenous observance, or to establish an Indigenous observance on another date.
Advocates for Indigenous Peoples' Day said replacing Columbus Day would correct a historical narrative and recognize living Native nations in Massachusetts. “Christopher Columbus did not discover the Americas,” Senator Jo Comerford told the committee, adding that commemorating Columbus has “allowed generations to credit a European man with discovering land already teeming with societies.” She urged the legislature to pass S.2113 and its House counterparts.
Supporters argued replacing the holiday is restorative and educational. Jolley Preit, president of the North American Indian Center of Boston, urged the committee to “reject a…
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