Skip to content
NOWCAST News 9 at 6:00
Watch on Demand
Advertisement

Move to change name of Columbus Day stalls in committee

Bill would rename day to Indigenous Peoples Day

Move to change name of Columbus Day stalls in committee

Bill would rename day to Indigenous Peoples Day

WEBVTT JENNIFER: LAWMAKERS IN CONCORD ARE NOT MOVING FORWARD WITH A NAME CHANGE FOR COLUMBUS DAY IN NEW HAMPSHIRE. THIS MORNING, A HOUSE COMMITTEE VOTED TO RETAIN A BILL THAT WOULD RENAME COLUMBUS DAY AS "INDIGENOUS PEOPLES DAY." ADVOCATES SAY COLUMBUS WAS A FAR CRY FROM THE EXPLORER PORTRAYED IN TEXTBOOKS AND THEY BELIEVE THE CURRENT NAME OF THE HOLIDAY IS OFFENSIVE TO NATIVE AMERICANS AND MINORITIES. LOCAL INDIGENOUS PEOPLE ARE DISAPPOINTED IN THE VOTE >> IT’S A PROCESS, BUT WE DID HEAR SOME VERY RACIST COMMENTS THAT ARE GOING TO HAVE TO BE WORKED OUT IN COMMITTEE. JENNIFER: SOME OPPONENTS OF THE NAME CHANGE SAY IT’S AN AFFRONT TO ITALIAN-AMERICANS. THE BILL WIL
Advertisement
Move to change name of Columbus Day stalls in committee

Bill would rename day to Indigenous Peoples Day

New Hampshire will not change the name of Columbus Day after a bill to rename it Indigenous Peoples Day didn't make it out of committee.A House committee voted to retain the bill Tuesday, meaning it will remain in committee until next year.Advocates said the historical Christopher Columbus was a far cry from the explorer portrayed in most textbooks, and they believe the current name of the holiday is offensive to Native Americans and minorities.Local indigenous people said they are disappointed in the vote. "It's a process, but we did hear some very racist comments that are going to have to be worked out in committee," said Paul Pouliot, of the Cowasuck Band of the Pennacook-Abenaki People.Some opponents of the name change said it would be an affront to Italian-Americans.

New Hampshire will not change the name of Columbus Day after a bill to rename it Indigenous Peoples Day didn't make it out of committee.

A House committee voted to retain the bill Tuesday, meaning it will remain in committee until next year.

Advertisement

Advocates said the historical Christopher Columbus was a far cry from the explorer portrayed in most textbooks, and they believe the current name of the holiday is offensive to Native Americans and minorities.

Local indigenous people said they are disappointed in the vote.

"It's a process, but we did hear some very racist comments that are going to have to be worked out in committee," said Paul Pouliot, of the Cowasuck Band of the Pennacook-Abenaki People.

Some opponents of the name change said it would be an affront to Italian-Americans.