Monday holidays, like today’s double feature of Columbus Day and Indigenous Peoples’ Day, can be confusing.

Does the federal government recognize Columbus Day, or Indigenous Peoples’ Day, or both?

Read on to find the answers to these questions, some historical facts, and clarification about what exactly remains open and closed today: Monday, October 12, 2026.

Since 1971, Columbus Day has been observed on the second Monday in October. This year, Columbus Day falls on October 12, 2026, which is today.

The day celebrates Christopher Columbus, who is historically credited with “discovering” America, even though indigenous people already inhabited the region.

In 1492, he sailed the ocean blue thanks to funding by King Ferdinand and Queen Isabella of Spain, with the directive to find a route to Asia.

Instead, the expedition aboard the Niña, Pinta, and Santa Maria landed in the Bahamas, then Hispaniola. His mistake helped Spain establish the first American colony in the Caribbean.

Columbus wasn’t exactly the most benevolent leader. As governor of Hispaniola, he enslaved the Taino and Arawak people. As a result, they faced horrific working conditions on mines and plantations.

Columbus forced his Catholic faith on native people using brutal methods. His discovery also kicked off a race of exploration among European nations. These settlers brought new diseases to the Americas, which decimated native populations.

Centuries later, in 1892, President Benjamin Harrison issued a proclamation encouraging Americans to celebrate Columbus Day.

This one-time observance marked the 400th anniversary. President Franklin D. Roosevelt also supported Columbus Day’s observance in 1937, further cementing a 1934 resolution to make it annual.

Source link