Dear PS 107 Families,
Today, the New York City public schools celebrate Indigenous People’s Day and Italian Heritage Day, honoring the contributions of indigenous peoples and the Italian community to our nation. Why has the city replaced Columbus Day with Indigenous People’s Day and Italian Heritage Day?
Columbus Day became a federal holiday in 1937, in part to combat anti-Italian discrimination in the United States, which arose as waves of immigrants arrived from Italy in the late-nineteenth and early-twentieth centuries. Columbus Day was meant to honor the contributions of Italian-Americans to the growth and development of the United States.
However, as a nation, we have increasingly recognized the impact of Christopher Columbus’s expedition. His arrival ushered in a long period of colonization, attempted destruction of indigenous people living in the Americas and their culture, as well as the beginning of the transatlantic slave trade. Should we be celebrating Columbus?
This shift in name, from Columbus Day to Italian Heritage Day and Indigenous People’s Day, allows us to honor the contributions of indigenous people and Italians that have made the United States what it is today. It is also important that we understand our past, and the ways in which different groups of people have been feared and discriminated against throughout American history. At PS 107, we help students be more aware of this long arc of history so that we can work towards a more tolerant, inclusive future.
Have a wonderful week!
Warmly,
Ms Joanna
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