New York’s largest Catholic university removes Columbus Day from school calendar

St John’s University will no longer honor Columbus Day, the annual holiday commemorating Christopher Columbus’ arrival in America.

New York’s largest Catholic university decided to stop referring to the holiday as “Columbus Day” amid concerns over the American narrative raised by Indigenous activists.

On the second Monday in October, US citizens remember when the Italian explorer landed in the “New World” after leading the initial expedition to the Americas from Spain in 1492. This day marked the first arrival of Europeans in the region.

After the efforts of Roman Catholic Italian Americans, Columbus Day became an official US holiday in 1937, establishing Columbus as an influential figure in American history. However, in recent years, many Indigenous activists have pointed to the issue with the celebration of Columbus and the European conquest, which led to the massacring of Indigenous people who inhabited the area.

Several historians have also found evidence that suggests Columbus and his group violently attacked, enslaved, and exploited native inhabitants of the West Indies on their travels.

Leo Killsback, Arizona State University’s Professor of American Indian Studies, said on the History Channel: “Columbus Day is not just a holiday, it represents the violent history of colonization in the Western hemisphere.”

Many have argued the name of the US holiday should be changed from Columbus Day to Indigenous Peoples’ Day. In 2021, President Joe Biden initiated the first-ever proclamation of Indigenous Peoples’ Day, recognizing the significance of “America’s first inhabitants and the Tribal Nations that continue to thrive today.”

St John’s University has now joined the list of Catholic institutions that opted to cut Columbus Day from their official school year calendars. Some – like St. John’s, Manhattan University, and Seton Hall University – still host “fall break” with a long weekend, while others – like Notre Dame University – do not allow students to take off from school on the second Monday in October. Fordham University and Iona College still list Columbus Day on their calendars, but Iona College does not observe it.

“After factoring in federal holidays, finite days are available on the academic calendar to observe,” Brian Browne, a representative for St John’s told The New York Post. “In 2018, St John’s University elected to observe Veterans Day and mark Columbus Day with an extended Fall mini-break at the beginning of October.

“The Fall mini-break usually coincides with Columbus Day,” Browne continued. “St John’s University community members and alumni regularly participate voluntarily in Columbus Day festivities throughout metropolitan New York City and will do so again this year.”

In the wake of St John’s decision, many Italian American alumni are hitting back at the university, arguing the move was “insane” and insulting.

Angelo Vivolo, the president of the Columbus Heritage Coalition said: “To not acknowledge Columbus is insane. Of course it’s an insult.”

Meanwhile, Peter Abbate, the former Brooklyn state Assemblyman called St John’s decision “outrageous” and “ludicrous.”