In the United States of America, Columbus Day 2025 will be observed on October 13 (Monday). Date changes from year to year because this day is aimed to celebrated on second Monday of October every year.
In 2024, the Columbus Day was celebrated on 14th of October. This day is also known as Indigenous Peoples’ Day, to remember the arrival of Christopher Columbus. From 1937, it continued as a national holiday by the presidential announcement.
Why do we celebrate Columbus Day? Why is there controversy behind it? Here’s a details history of this holiday in this blog.
Columbus Day is a federal U.S event or holiday remembering the voyage and landing of Italian explorer, named as Christopher Columbus in the New World on 12th of October, 1492.
His anniversary was first celebrated after 300 years in 1792. Before this, there’s no celebration or remembrance event was conducted for him. In 1937, it was declared as a national holiday by the presidential announcement.
On Columbus Day, open air events and formalities are conducted every year in remembrance of Christopher Columbus. And showing Christopher’s ships to refresh the memory of real occasion. This day holds a non-forgettable importance in U.S history.
In 1992, by the time of the holiday’s 500th anniversary, it had operated as a forum for discussion of the European enslavement of American Indians. Most of the people suggested celebrating this day as a Indigenous People’s Day instead of Columbus Day.
Columbus’ arrival also became a holiday in many other nations like Spain & Italy. In different nations of America who speak Spanish gave this day a “day of race” to celebrate this day as an honor.
Many commemorators believe that the event should instead honor Latin America’s indigenous peoples and the culture they have developed over the centuries, rather than Columbus’ arrival in the New World.
Christoper Columbus was from a wool weaver’s family and belonged to Harbor City, Genoa, Italy. He started visiting sea and learning experience as youthful boy and a sailor.
Then, he moved to Lisbon, Portugal, to seek help for a tour he had planned to find fresh trade lanes to the Far East. He was helped by Ferdinand and Isabella who was Spain’s king and queen at that time.
From the Spanish port of Palos, three ships were launched by Columbus in 1492. Among all, two of the ships were caravels, or little craft with triangle sails named as “Nina” & “Pinta”.
The third one was the Santa Maria, a larger square-rigged ship. Ships were small in size and roughly carried up to 90 people on them. These three ships were owned by Christopher.
The celebration of Columbus Day is not without controversy. Although, the landing of Columbus’ on Earth was marked the new era of exploration and development for the world. But one more thing, the European colonization reality is that it brought many challenges to indigenous people of America.
In Columbus Day celebrations, this colonial change has been overlooked but fact can’t be hidden. However, this has been changing in recent decades because more and more states or cities start celebrating this day as Indigenous Peoples’ Day Instead.
Columbus Day 2025 continues to spark reflection, debate, and cultural dialogue. For some, it marks exploration and discovery and for others, it represents pain, colonization, and loss for Indigenous communities.
As more states and cities shift toward recognizing Indigenous Peoples’ Day, the holiday challenges us to reconsider whose stories we honor.
Ultimately, Columbus Day is no longer just about the past, it’s about shaping a more inclusive future, where history is remembered honestly.
Having an ability to customize packaging boxes in different sizes, shapes and styles, Emenac Packaging fulfills the requirement of customers in lowest rate with flawless printed results. Not only we accept short and long run orders, we also use high quality Cardboard, Kraft and Corrugated materials to give you unrivaled printing and packaging solutions.
About Us
Contact Us
