Holyoke's City Council Ordinance Committee voted 4-1 to advance a proposal replacing Columbus Day with Indigenous Peoples Day in the city's municipal code, rejecting a compromise that would have kept both holidays on the books. The lone dissenting vote came from Councilor Linda Vacon, who had pushed an amendment to recognize both holidays rather than eliminate Columbus Day from city ordinances entirely.
The committee's vote sends the measure to the full City Council for a final decision, according to MassLive. Councilors Meg Magrath-Smith and Richard Purcell filed the proposal, which would replace Columbus Day with Indigenous Peoples Day in city ordinances, according to city filings. Magrath-Smith, who serves as council vice president and chairs the Ordinance Committee, said the change reflects what the community chooses to honor and celebrate, and that it would recognize Native communities while presenting a broader story of American history, per the same account. She said she changed her own perspective after learning more about Christopher Columbus's treatment of Indigenous people, adding that Columbus has long been portrayed positively while Indigenous histories and experiences received far less attention.
Compromise Amendment Falls Short
Vacon's amendment, backed by Councilor Patti Devine, would have kept both holidays recognized so residents could choose which to observe, an approach Devine called a compromise for supporters of both sides.
Vacon opposed replacing Columbus Day outright, arguing that it is a federal holiday embedded in union contracts and employee benefits, and that swapping it out could create complications since Indigenous Peoples Day carries no federal or state recognition. She said the committee should add recognition of Indigenous peoples rather than eliminate Columbus Day altogether. Assistant City Solicitor Michael Bissonette pushed back on the contract concern directly, telling the committee that changing the ordinance would not itself create labor issues, since city holidays are governed by both the ordinance and collective bargaining agreements, and that any contractual changes would be worked out through labor negotiations.
Council Members Make Their Case
Purcell argued that Columbus's voyages had devastating effects on Indigenous populations, who died by the tens of millions following European contact from disease, violence, warfare, forced labor and slavery. He offered a list of alternative figures for celebrating Italian American heritage, including Marco Polo, Leonardo da Vinci, Michelangelo, Galileo, Dante, Luciano Pavarotti, Sophia Loren and Robert De Niro. Thalheimer echoed that sentiment, saying Italian American contributions deserve recognition but that Columbus should not symbolize that celebration, adding that the heart of Italian American heritage does not rest with him.
Councilor Mimi Panitch said the proposal could help the country and city acknowledge past mistakes, noting the United States was founded on principles of equality but has fallen short of those values. She said recognizing Indigenous Peoples Day would let the city confront its history while continuing efforts to improve, adding that America could still stand for something. Councilor Israel Rivera said he supports the change and does not believe in erasing history, arguing that renaming a holiday cannot undo the past but can help acknowledge past wrongs and Indigenous contributions — noting that Massachusetts itself has many places with Indigenous names. Councilor Juan Anderson-Burgos said elected officials are responsible for deciding which community values are honored, and that the holiday should not have been named for Christopher Columbus in the first place.
Schools Already Made the Switch
Holyoke Public Schools said there would be no school on Monday, October 14, for Indigenous Peoples Day, according to Holyoke Public Schools. Purcell and other councilors noted that nearby Cambridge and Northampton already recognize Indigenous Peoples Day.
Holyoke is a city of 37,813 residents, with 52.4% identifying as Hispanic or Latino, according to U.S. Census Bureau estimates — among the highest Latino population shares of any city in Massachusetts. Twenty-eight Massachusetts cities and towns celebrate Indigenous Peoples Day, according to New England Public Media.
State and Federal Law Still Lag Behind
Even if Holyoke's full council approves the change, state and federal law would still recognize Columbus Day separately. State Sen. Joanne Comerford co-sponsored legislation, S.2113/H.3292, during the current legislative session to replace Columbus Day with Indigenous Peoples Day statewide, per Act on Mass. Earlier efforts did not move forward, and this is a third-session effort. The Massachusetts Alcoholic Beverages Control Commission lists the October 12, 2026 holiday as Columbus Day/Indigenous Peoples' Day on its official legal holiday calendar for liquor licensees, a sign of how state agencies are already splitting the difference administratively.
Columbus Day was designated a federal holiday in 1937 under President Franklin D. Roosevelt. President Joe Biden issued the first presidential proclamation recognizing Indigenous Peoples' Day in 2021, but that proclamation encourages observance rather than altering the statutory federal holiday, which still requires an act of Congress to change.
