Niagara-Wheatfield Schools Drop Columbus Day

For many, the second Monday in October has meant a day off from work and school in observation of Columbus Day.  Many history books claim that Christopher Columbus discovered America in 1492 when he "sailed the ocean blue."  Columbus Day was proclaimed a national holiday in 1934 by President Franklin Delano Roosevelt.

Beginning this year Columbus Day won't be observed at Niagara-Wheatfield Schools.  Under pressure from Native American students in the school district the second Monday in October will now be known as Indigenous Peoples Day.

Niagara-Wheatfield has a large number of Tuscarora Indian students and this year they were successful in convincing the district to stop honoring a man they say wiped out large numbers of Native Americans.  Additionally, they say he never made it to the mainland United States.  Columbus made it no closer than the Bahamas and Cuba.

Following a presentation by the student-run Native American Club the Niagara-Wheatfield Board of Education voted September 21st to do away with Columbus Day.