Stay up to date with our weekly guide to the latest trends, fashion, relationships and more

Stay up to date with our weekly guide to the latest trends, fashion, relationships and more

Stay up to date with our weekly guide to the latest trends, fashion, relationships and more

On Monday, October 14th, the United States celebrates Columbus Day, Indigenous Peoples Day.

Every year on the second Monday in October, US citizens commemorate the landing of Christopher Columbus in the “New World”. Under the flag and funding of Spain, the Italian explorer led the first expedition from Spain to the Americas, marking the first arrival of Europeans in the region on October 12, 1492. It wasn't until 1937 that Columbus Day became an official U.S. national holiday.

Over the years, indigenous activists have raised concerns about the American narrative about the conquests of European descendants, arguing that it has led to the marginalization of indigenous populations. According to several historians, Columbus and his party enslaved, exploited, and violently attacked the native peoples of the West Indies from the first day of their arrival. In Columbus' diary entry, the explorer wrote that he enslaved six native people upon his arrival.

Because of these findings, several states and cities in the United States renamed Columbus Day Indigenous Peoples Day. The day is intended to celebrate the indigenous community in the United States – including Hawaiian, American Indian and Alaska Natives – and reflect on their mistreatment throughout history. In 2021, President Joe Biden proclaimed Indigenous Peoples Day as president to “honor the first inhabitants of the Americas and the tribal peoples who continue to thrive today.”

Although the law recognizes certain federal holidays, this does not mean that individuals working for private companies must be off work.

From Veterans Day to Christmas, here are the 2024 federal holiday dates.

New Year: Monday, January 1st

Martin Luther King, Jr.'s birthday: Monday, January 15th

President's Day: Monday, February 19th

Memorial Day: Monday, May 27th

National Independence Day in June: Wednesday June 19th

Independence Day: Thursday, July 4th

Labor Day: Monday, September 2nd

Indigenous Peoples Day (also celebrated as Columbus Day): Monday, October 14th

Veterans Day: Monday, November 11th

Thanksgiving Day: Thursday, November 28th

Christmas Day: Wednesday December 25th

Other important days to note:

Valentine's Day: Wednesday, February 14th

St. Patrick's Day: Sunday March 17th

Good Friday: Friday March 29th

Easter: Sunday March 31st

Passover: Monday, April 22nd