Vermont renames Columbus Day as Indigenous Peoples’ Day

MONTPELIER, Vt. – Vermont has joined a handful of states in renaming Columbus Day to honour Native Americans.

Republican Gov. Phil Scott signed a bill May 6 recognizing the second Monday in October as Indigenous Peoples’ Day.

A half-dozen states, including Vermont, and several cities have made the change.

The governors of Maine and New Mexico signed similar measures last month.

Native American tribes and others say celebrating Italian explorer Christopher Columbus ignores the effect that the European arrival in the Americas had on the native peoples.

They suffered violence, disease, enslavement, racism and exploitation at the hands of the settlers.

Vermont’s law states that “Vermont was founded and built upon lands whose original inhabitants were Abenaki people and honours them and their ancestors.”

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This story has been corrected to change the day of the bill signing to May 6, instead of Friday.