Within 60 years of his landing, there were only a few hundred Taíno natives left, compared with the 250,000 who resided there when he arrived. And others were forced to search for gold in mines. What makes Columbus Day so controversial?Īmong the things historians have learned about Columbus: He enslaved many West Indies natives, seizing six of them on the first day he hit land in 1492 and making them his servants. These days, there’s enough controversy around the holiday that most tend to ignore it. Previously, some retailers would offer Columbus Day savings, but the specials generally weren’t that good. While some small businesses could be closed owing to staffing crises, no major retailer shuts down for this holiday. Which retail and grocery stores are closed on Columbus Day?īasically none. Many states that observe Indigenous Peoples’ Day do not offer this as a paid holiday, either. City of Chicago offices, for instance, will be closed, but Delaware doesn’t recognize this as a legal holiday. Are government offices open on Columbus Day?įederal offices will be closed, but it’s less certain for city, county, and state divisions. Their next scheduled holiday is Thanksgiving. The New York Stock Exchange, Nasdaq, and bond markets are all open. Story continues Is the stock market open on Columbus Day? In addition, all of their drop-off locations will follow normal hours.

Mail delivery is suspended that day, but UPS and FedEx will conduct business as usual, including deliveries for all divisions. Will there be any mail delivery on Columbus Day? You can, of course, still use ATM machines to get cash or put money into your account. One exception is American National Bank, which keeps its branches open. Columbus Day is a federal holiday, meaning most banks will be closed as well. It’s not recognized on a federal level, but it is an official holiday in 13 states and dozens of cities, which choose not to honor Columbus Day. Rather than focusing on Columbus, the day celebrates and honors Native American peoples and commemorates their histories and cultures. That led to a symbolic renaming of the day to Indigenous Peoples’ Day, starting in 1992. and brutalizing Native Americans in the process. However, while he is credited for leading the charge in European immigration to North America, history has shown that Columbus was less a heroic historical figure and more of an archvillain, bringing disease, wars, and more to what would eventually become the U.S. It became a federal holiday starting in 1971. What is Columbus Day?Ĭolumbus Day, held on the second Monday in October, is meant to celebrate the anniversary of Christopher Columbus’s arrival in the Americas, which occurred on Oct.

Here’s a look at who’s open and closed on Columbus Day 2021, and a look at the controversy surrounding the holiday. And with many businesses facing staff shortages (and the fact that Mondays generally are slow for many industries), you could see more closures than normal this year. But if you’ve got reason to visit a government office or bank, things get more complicated. That’s generally not the case with retailers. Arguably the most controversial holiday on the federal calendar, Columbus Day, also called Indigenous Peoples’ Day, is often overlooked-until you try to conduct some personal business only to find closed signs.

Does usps move on columbus day