“Columbus Day” was made a federal holiday in 1934. Then (and now), much of Christopher Columbus's life and legacy was largely myth. Once known primarily as a bold explorer and discoverer of new lands. Recently, he is gaining a new and more deserved reputation as a sociopath and murderer.
Honoring this man not only honors an individual we shouldn't celebrate, but also what he has come to represent: namely, colonialism and abuse. In its place, it's time to honor the culture of the people who were already here when Columbus (ahem) "discovered" the "New" world.
Renaming the Columbus Day holiday to "Indigenous Peoples' Day" will open the door to educational opportunities we currently lack, and will be a small step in atoning for a painful history.