Youth Corner: Truth Be Told
By Jade Henry
To rename Christopher Columbus Day would be a first step in truth and healing for the United States of America. For hundreds of years, this untruth that Christopher Columbus “discovered” America has been taught in schools for generations and generations. Christopher Columbus was named a national holiday by President Franklin Roosevelt in 1937 and became one of the 10 federal holidays officially observed in 1972. Observed every 2nd Monday in October, students are out of school and federal workers get a paid day off.
It has been recorded that Christopher Columbus officially set foot in the Americas on October 12, 1492. What is taught in schools and written in history books, have led people to believe that Christopher Columbus “discovered” America. Based on literature and research, the Indigenous People, referred to as the First People, inhabited America prior to 1492. With a greater understanding of history, and a more in-depth knowledge base of First People, we now know and can confirm that Christopher Columbus didn’t discover America. How can a land be discovered if people were already there? History has been documented and proves that one cannot “discover” anything if people already occupy the land.
In early fall, most elementary schools introduce the story of Christopher Columbus. Because not many people have questioned his arrival, the logic of the timeline between the First People and Christopher Columbus took years to be challenged. In my personal experience at a public elementary school in Fort Wayne, Indiana, in my fifth-grade class, my fellow classmate questioned the teacher and asked if the books were right in this teaching. The teacher’s reply was, “Of course the books are right! Christopher Columbus did in fact discover America and this is the end of the discussion!” Similarly, in November, the stories of pilgrims, turkeys, and Indians are explained, but even in that story, there are untruths of what we know as Thanksgiving. In fact, many Native Americans recall Thanksgiving Day as the slaughter of millions of Indigenous people and the theft of their lands by outsiders. Some can admit to hearing this side of that story.
Without a shadow of doubt, history books should be accurate in their teaching and should recognize the milestones from all cultures and communities. By starting the dialogue in elementary school with truth and explicit explanations, students are better able to understand where they are headed. There is a saying “you cannot go where you are going if you don’t know from where you came”. The conversations must start now, so that the reversal of previous thoughts and teaching can take place.
By general consensus of our beloved black and brown communities, Christopher Columbus Day should be renamed Indigenous People Day and recognized as a federal holiday. Some states such as South Dakota, Alaska, Idaho, Maine, Vermont, New Mexico, and Hawaii, honor Indigenous People Day as a holiday. Ideally, it should be made a federal holiday, so that ALL states recognize and celebrate our Native American citizens. The truth should be documented in our history books so future generations are taught correctly and know our United States truth of inclusivity.