Cambridge Changes Columbus Day to Indigenous Peoples' Day

CAMBRIDGE, MA - The Cambridge City Council has voted unanimously to change Christopher Columbus Day to Indigenous Peoples’ Day.

Councilor Nadeem Mazen, who proposed the idea, said it is important to reclaim October 11 as a day for Native Americans. Mazen said there was an overwhelming level of support from students, residents, workers, culture agents and thought leaders.

At the end of the discussion and vote Monday night, Mayor E. Denise Simmons said, “This is a very important day in Cambridge.”

Some residents have viewed the holiday change as a slight to Italian-American heritage but Cambridge Vice Mayor Marc McGovern, who is half-Italian, said he was pleased to see the holiday removed.

“I view changing Columbus Day to Indigenous Peoples’ Day as a cleansing for me, as an Italian-American. I do not want Christopher Columbus to be representing my culture,” he said. McGovern said Columbus was “the first person to start the genocide in this part of the world.”

October is still Italian American Heritage month in the city, he said.

The City Council vote means an official change to the city calendar for the second Monday of each October. The school committee now has a matter before them whether to change the school calendar.