Hartford Controversially Mulls Changing Name of Columbus Day

With Columbus Day right around the corner, one Vermont town has joined in on an ongoing nation-wide debate as to whether the name of the annual holiday should be changed.

Historians have accused Italian explorer Christopher Columbus of harsh treatment of Native Americans, prompting some to suggest renaming the second Monday in October to “Indigenous People’s Day.” The matter was first discussed by the Hartford Select Board back in August when members voted 4-2 to redact holiday names from the town calendar.

According to the Valley News, members then asked that the idea of changing Columbus Day to Indigenous People’s Day could be explored, to which two members immediately argued against the motion. Opponents say Columbus’s alleged acts pale in comparison to those committed by the federal government during Westward Expansion.

Town Manager Leo Pullar told the newspaper he plans to present a report on the controversial holiday’s potential name change at an upcoming select board meeting.