Columbus Day is a day on the second Monday of October honoring Christopher Columbus and his discovery of America. Columbus Day is not only a federal holiday in the United States of America, but, also an international holiday celebrated by countries like Spain, Italy, and other Latin-American countries. Every October, students and faculty at Monsignor McClancy and other schools in the NYC district are given the day off in celebration of our country.

In modern times, Columbus Day has become a controversial topic since Christopher Columbus wasn’t truly the first person who discovered the country of America, but, was the first person who claimed recognition. The first people who discovered America were Indigenous people. Due to the protest and argument to include Indigenous people in the holiday, America has officially changed the name of the holiday to Indigenous Peoples’ Day/Italian Heritage Day.

Originally, the reason Columbus was honored was because he was a famous Italian in America’s history, not because of the common misconception that he discovered America. Ultimately, during Indigenous People’s Day/Italian Heritage Day, we give thanks to Indigenous people for their efforts and recognize Italian-Americans for their heritage and journey to America.