Baltimore Council Approves Renaming Columbus Day, Columbus Statue

BALTIMORE, MD — The Baltimore City Council approved two measures related to the legacy of Christopher Columbus at its meeting Monday night. Both came a week before Columbus Day 2020.

One of the bills the council passed would change the name of the holiday to Indigenous Peoples' Day.

Council President Brandon Scott said the bill was first proposed in 2016, when sixth and seventh graders from City Neighbors charter school approached him with the request that they no longer recognize Columbus Day.

Native American advocates have promoted changing Columbus Day to Indigenous Peoples' Day for years, since Columbus is associated with wiping out many of the indigenous people.

Scott congratulated the bill's sponsor, Councilman John T. Bullock, as well as members of Indigenous Strong, a group that has been working to get the state of Maryland and Baltimore City to recognize Indigenous Peoples' Day since 2016.

"This is a symbol and a starting place and it matters!" Indigenous Strong posted on Facebook Monday night, stating its members performed round dances to celebrate the bill's passage.

More than 100 cities and 10 states observe Indigenous Peoples' Day, according to the Associated Press, such as Los Angeles and Portland, Ore. Last year, the District of Columbia and Alexandria, Va., joined the movement to recognize Indigenous Peoples' Day the second Monday in October. Alexandria's City Council also encouraged the school system to teach indigenous peoples' history and professional sports teams to stop using mascots that resemble indigenous people.

In July, the Washington NFL team's owner changed the team's name from the Redskins to the Washington Football Team amid scrutiny over what was considered a slur.

With the unanimous passage of Bill 20-0608, the second Monday in October in Baltimore will be recognized as Indigenous Peoples’ Day, as long as Mayor Bernard "Jack" Young approves the measure or allows it to become law without his signature.

In addition, Young will be asked to approve an ordinance that would rename the Christopher Columbus obelisk monument to the Police Violence Victims Monument.

Located in Heinz Park, the obelisk there held a statue honoring Columbus, until it was torn down on the Fourth of July. Protesters nationally have called for the removal of statues honoring the Italian explorer who is held responsible for killing and exploiting native peoples of the Americas, a sentiment reflected in the ordinance proposed by Scott and Council members Ryan Dorsey, Bill Henry, Leon F. Pinkett, III, Kristerfer Burnett and Shannon Sneed.

"Rather than continue to allow monuments to stand to murderers, brutalizers, and oppressors, we should honor the memories of victims who have lost their lives, and create space for those survivors who continue to persevere," the ordinance states. "And so a beacon will stand in tribute to those who are victims of police violence and brutality, and their families and friends who bear the weight of trauma, signifying for all to see that their lives and stories matter, and that our work will be to change the system that wronged them."

Members of the Baltimore City Council approved the ordinance despite several council members voting against it. The opposition came from Councilmen Isaac "Yitzy" Schleifer, Eric Costello, Edward Reisinger and Leon F. Pinkett.

Watch the Oct. 5 City Council meeting where the measures passed.

See Also:

• Christopher Columbus Statue Recovered From Harbor: Report
• Alexandria To Recognize Indigenous Peoples' Day
• Oldest Christopher Columbus Monument In U.S. Destroyed With Sledgehammer
• HoCo To Celebrate Indigenous People's Day In 2020
• Washington Redskins Name And Logo Gone After 87 Years