Each October, Americans mark a federal holiday that carries two very different meanings depending on where you stand. For more than a century, the second Monday of October has been known as Columbus Day, honoring the 1492 voyage of Christopher Columbus, long celebrated as the “discovery” of the Americas. But in recent decades, many states and communities—including several in Montana—have begun observing the same date as Indigenous Peoples’ Day, recognizing and celebrating the original inhabitants of this continent and their enduring cultures.
The Origins of Columbus Day
Columbus Day first beca...
