You Know the Truth About Christopher Columbus. What Should You Do Now?

We need to stop celebrating Columbus Day — immediately.

By celebrating Columbus Day, our country has erased the history of Indigenous Peoples, and now is the time to give it back by celebrating Indigenous Peoples’ Day.

The story that we learned about Christopher Columbus could not be further from the truth. He was a colonizer, enslaver, and sex trafficker who committed genocide against Indigenous Peoples.

If this information is news to you, stop what you’re doing and listen to my episode where we uncover the truth about Christopher Columbus: First Name Basis Podcast, Season 4, Episode 7: “The Untold Story of Christopher Columbus.”

But once you know the truth about Christopher Columbus, what’s next? It’s not enough to just learn it. Once we learn it, we need to move on from Columbus, and honor Indigenous people. So let’s turn knowledge into action!

Here are some suggestions for what you can do to center Indigenous Peoples and help this untold story become the one that’s told.

Spread the truth

Share our episode about Christopher Columbus (Season 4, Episode 7: “The Untold Story of Christopher Columbus”) and the resources from the show notes with your friends and family and on social media.

Contact your kids’ teachers or school

Ask them to teach the truth. You have a lot of power as the parent, and we need to hold educators accountable.

Celebrate Indigenous Peoples’ Day

Use resources that help you and your kids learn about Indigenous Peoples. Head over to firstnamebasis.org/indigenouspeoples to get resources sent straight to your inbox!

Contact your local representatives

If your state still celebrates Columbus Day, contact your local government and let them know you want it to be switched to Indigenous Peoples’ Day. Make your voice heard!