A new petition drive is asking the city of Atlanta to change Columbus Day to Indigenous Peoples Day, citing Christopher Columbus’ treatment of Native Americans.
A similar petition was launched last year, but neither has gained much traction so far.
Columbus enslaved many people when he reached the new world, according to the History.com.
“On his first day in the New World, he ordered six of the natives to be seized, writing in his journal that he believed they would be good servants,” the History.com website says. “Throughout his years in the New World, Columbus enacted policies of forced labor in which natives were put to work for the sake of profits. Later, Columbus sent thousands of peaceful Taino ‘Indians’ from the island of Hispaniola to Spain to be sold. Many died en route. Those left behind were forced to search for gold in mines and on plantations. Within 60 years after Columbus landed, only a few hundred of what may have been 250,000 Taino were left on their island.”
The petition, which currently has 35 supporters with a goal of getting a 1,000 signatures, was started by Care2, which describes itself as “the world’s largest social network for good.”
The Indigenous Peoples’ Day movement started in Berkeley, Calif. in 1992. It has since been adopted in numerous other communities around the country, most recently by Santa Fe, N.M. The L.A. City Council also recently decided to replace Columbus Day.
A similar petition asking Atlanta to recognize Indigenous Peoples’ Day started last year and received 140 supporters.
The Care2 petition says, “For over 80 years, the U.S. has celebrated Christopher Columbus with a federal holiday in his name. But Columbus did not “discover” America: he pillaged it and brutalized and enslaved its people. It is time to stop honoring him.”