Columbus Day has been a federal holiday in the United States for decades, more recently being specifically designated as the second Monday in October, rather than October 12. Although President Joe Biden and his administration still recognize the day, they also started acknowledging "Indigenous Peoples' Day," with the president putting out a proclamation for both commemorations his first year in office, and again in 2022 and this year as well.
Let's contrast the two proclamations. The Columbus Day proclamation is actually posted more recently on the White House website last Friday, but that is the reason for the day. The statement is mostly about Italian Americans, rather than Christopher Columbus himself, although the explorer is mentioned in several sentences in one paragraph, and then again at the very end of the proclamation.
"For many Italian Americans, the story of Christopher Columbus’ voyage — from the Spanish port of Palos de la Frontera on behalf of Queen Isabella I and King Ferdinand II — remains a source of pride. It reflects the stories of trips across the Atlantic that so many Italian Americans grew up hearing at the dinner table, whether tales of ancestors who set sail on wooden boats across rough waters to begin new lives on our shores or grandparents who immigrated here with little more than hope in their hearts. These are stories of people leaving everything they knew and loved behind for the promise of opportunity in the United States," one paragraph read in part, putting the emphasis on how it's for those "many Italian Americans" that Columbus "remains a source of pride."
Notably, the statement also claimed "we have never fully lived up to that idea" of America's founding.
"America was founded on an idea: that we are all created equal, endowed by our creator with certain inalienable rights, and deserve to be treated equally throughout our lives. Though we have never fully lived up to that idea, our aspirations have never let us walk away from it either. Today, we honor all the Italian Americans who never walked away from our fundamental creed and who, for generations, have helped realize the full promise of our Nation," one paragraph read towards the end.
Then there's the Indigenous Peoples' Day proclamation, which appears to be posted first to the White House website of the two. This proclamation is also noticeably longer. It even appears to sound more heartfelt, too.
"But throughout our Nation’s history, Indigenous peoples have faced violence and devastation that has tested their limits. For generations, it was the shameful policy of our Nation to remove Indigenous peoples from their homelands; force them to assimilate; and ban them from speaking their own languages, passing down ancient traditions, and performing sacred ceremonies. Countless lives were lost, precious lands were taken, and their way of life was forever changed. In spite of unimaginable loss and seemingly insurmountable odds, Indigenous peoples have persisted. They survived. And they continue to be an integral part of the fabric of the United States," one paragraph reads early on.
The proclamation even later adds a self-congratulatory tone for the president, in the form of multiple paragraphs towards the end that take up nearly half of the statement:
When I came into office, I was determined to usher in a new era in the relationship between the Federal Government and Tribal Nations and to honor the solemn promises the United States made to fulfill our trust and treaty obligations to Tribal Nations. That work began by appointing Native Americans to lead on the frontlines of my Administration — from the first Native American Secretary of the Interior Deb Haaland and dozens of Senate-confirmed Native American officials to the over 80 Native American appointees serving across my Administration and in the Federal courts. I restored the White House Council on Native American Affairs to improve interagency coordination and decision-making as well as the White House Tribal Nations Summit to bring together key members of my Administration and the leaders of hundreds of Tribal Nations.
Last year, I signed a new Presidential Memorandum that creates uniform standards for consultation between the Federal Government and Tribal Nations. And together, we are making historic investments in Indian Country. That includes $32 billion from the American Rescue Plan, the largest one-time direct investment in Indian Country in American history; more than $13 billion to rebuild infrastructure, the single largest investment in Indian Country infrastructure in history; and the biggest investment ever to combat the existential threat of climate change, including $700 million dedicated to climate change response in Native communities.
We are also working to improve public health and safety for Native Americans. That is why I signed an Executive Order that helps us respond more effectively to the epidemic of missing and murdered Indigenous peoples. And when we reauthorized the Violence Against Women Act last year, I was proud to include historic provisions that reaffirm Tribal sovereignty and restore Tribal jurisdiction. I have also requested a $9.1 billion infusion for Indian Health Services and asked the Congress to make that funding a mandatory part of the Federal budget for the first time in our history.
My Administration will also continue using all the authority available to it, including the Antiquities Act, to protect sacred Tribal lands. We have already restored protections for Bears Ears and Grand Staircase-Escalante in Utah and the Northeast Canyons and Seamounts National Monument in New England. I have declared new national monuments at the Camp Hale-Continental Divide in Colorado, Avi Kwa Ame in Nevada, and Baaj Nwaavjo I’tah Kukveni in Arizona to protect lands that are sacred to so many Tribes. My Administration has also signed at least 20 new co-stewardship agreements with Tribes, and we are working on many more.
As we celebrate Indigenous Peoples’ Day, may we renew the enduring soul of our Nation-to-Nation relationships — a spirit of friendship, stewardship, and respect.
While both proclamations were posted to the White House website last Friday, the administration was otherwise very quiet about Columbus Day.
The White House X account made no mention of either Columbus Day or Indigenous Peoples' Day last Friday when the proclamation was signed, or on Monday to mark the actual date. The same goes for the president's official X account and his personal account. White House Press Secretary Karine Jean-Pierre also failed to draw attention to the proclamations from her official account.
Vice President Kamala Harris, however, did commemorate Indigenous Peoples' Day with a post from her official X account, which was reposted by her personal account.
This is not to say that such X accounts were solely devoted to posting updates on Hamas' attack on Israel over the weekend, which has resulted in the death and capture of Americans. The feeds of such accounts were full of posts on Saturday and Sunday as if it were any other day for the Biden administration, which included posts of a partisan nature.
The White House also faced criticism for hosting a BBQ on Sunday, which it has since doubled down on when it comes to defending the decision to still host the event in light of the attack on Israel and resulting horrific atrocities being committed against civilians.
According to Pew Research, 16 states and the territory of America Somoa recognized the second Monday in October as Columbus Day for 2023.
For generations, Indigenous people have protected their lands, languages, knowledge, and traditions.
— Vice President Kamala Harris (@VP) October 9, 2023
On Indigenous Peoples' Day, we honor these many contributions and recommit to working alongside Indigenous people to ensure their communities thrive for generations to come.
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