Why I observe Indigenous Peoples Day on Oct. 12

Growing up, I always had October 12 off from school in honor of Columbus Day. I remember because it offered a school free day just in time to appreciate the feeling of autumn. It had no other real meaning to me than that. Still, I was taking part in an annual celebration of colonization— even in 1992, when my class held a party honoring the 500 years that had passed since “Columbus sailed the ocea...