Maine on Friday became the latest state to rename Columbus Day as Indigenous Peoples’ Day when Gov. Janet Mills signed a bill making the change official. Other states that have made the change include neighboring Vermont, Alaska and South Dakota
“Our history is by no means perfect. But, for too long, it has been written and presented in a way that fails to acknowledge our shortcomings,” Mills said in a statement.
The October holiday is often criticized for celebrating the atrocities brought upon by colonization.
“There is power in a name and in who we choose to honor,” Mills said. “Today, we take another step in healing the divisions of the past, in fostering inclusiveness, in telling a fuller, deeper history, and in bringing the State and Maine’s tribal communities together to build a future shaped by mutual trust and respect.”
Penobscot Nation Tribal Ambassador Maulian Dana told CBS Portland, Maine affiliate WGME she “honestly didn’t see it happening.”
“It’s hard in a state like Maine where we do have a lot of racial tensions, we do have a lot of misunderstandings and a lot of gaps between groups, I think, ” Dana said.
The legislation has failed in Maine twice before.
