A video is making rounds on the internet showing Vice President Kamala Harris endorsing the idea of renaming Columbus Day to Indigenous Peoples’ Day, sparking reactions from the Trump campaign. During her unsuccessful run for president in 2020 and throughout her tenure in the Biden-Harris administration, Harris has been vocal about her stance on this matter. Notably, this administration was the first to formally recognize Indigenous Peoples’ Day concurrently with Columbus Day, a holiday officially instituted by Congress.
In a 2021 address to the National Congress of American Indians Conference, Harris pointed out, “Every October, the United States has recognized the voyage of the European explorers who first landed on the shores of the Americas,” adding, “But that is not the whole story. That has never been the whole story.”
She further elaborated, “Those explorers ushered in a wave of devastation for tribal nations — perpetrating violence, stealing land and spreading disease,” stressing, “We must not shy away from this shameful past. And we must shed light on it and do everything we can to address the impact of the past on native communities today.”
The Trump campaign took to their official website to issue a statement on the matter, highlighting Harris’s preference for Indigenous Peoples’ Day over Columbus Day in previous years, and her indication of permanent support for the name change when speaking to a voter.
In their statement, Trump campaign spokeswoman Karoline Leavitt criticized Harris, saying, “Kamala Harris is your stereotypical leftist. Not only does she want to raise taxes and defund the police — she also wants to cancel American traditions like Columbus Day.” She then emphasized, “President Trump will make sure Christopher Columbus’ great legacy is honored and protect this holiday from radical leftists who want to erase our nation’s history like Kamala Harris.”
Harris, on her part, has used Columbus Day to express her appreciation for Indigenous communities, tweeting, “For generations, Indigenous people have protected their lands, languages, knowledge, and traditions. On Indigenous Peoples’ Day, we honor these many contributions and recommit to working alongside Indigenous people to ensure their communities thrive for generations to come,” in a previous year’s acknowledgment of the day.
Furthermore, she conveyed in 2022, “On Indigenous Peoples’ Day, we pay respect to Tribal Nations and indigenous history. Today and every day, let us continue to celebrate and uplift the rich contributions of Indigenous peoples—their leadership has made our country stronger.”
