Americans will mark Columbus Day on Monday under a patchwork of state and local observances, as President Donald Trump renews his defense of Christopher Columbus and critics continue to press for recognition of Indigenous peoples and the consequences of European colonization.
Last week, Trump proclaimed Oct. 12, 2026, as Columbus Day and directed that U.S. flags be displayed on public buildings. In the proclamation, he praised Columbus’ “valor, adventure, and ingenuity” and said his administration would protect the explorer’s legacy from what it called efforts to erase it.
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Trump also highlighted a replica of Christopher Columbus in D.C. in social media posts. In a Sunday post, Trump wished followers a happy Columbus Day and said, “those days of plunder are over, and the statues are back, more magnificent than ever.” The original Columbus statue stood in Baltimore from 1984 until protesters pulled it down and threw it into the harbor on July 4, 2020.
Columbus Day remains a federal holiday, generally closing federal offices and halting regular mail delivery. Banks and the bond market also typically close, while stock markets, most retailers and many other businesses remain open.
While it is a federal holiday, state observance is mixed. A Pew Research Center review found that 30 states and three U.S. territories recognize Columbus Day in some form, but only 20 states and two territories provide a paid holiday for state workers. Ten other states designate the day as a public or legal holiday without giving state employees paid time off.
Some jurisdictions pair Columbus Day with other commemorations. Five states recognize Indigenous Peoples Day on the same date, while Alabama also marks American Indian Heritage Day and Fraternal Day and Virginia observes Yorktown Victory Day. Tennessee officially recognizes Columbus Day but routinely shifts the state observance to the Friday after Thanksgiving.
Other governments have moved away from Columbus Day. Delaware dropped it in 2009 and gave state workers a floating holiday. Maine, Vermont, New Mexico and the District of Columbia replaced their paid Columbus Day holidays with Indigenous Peoples Day in 2019. Oklahoma marks the second Monday in October as Oklahoma Native American Day and separately recognizes tribal nations through other observances.
The competing observances reflect a long-running dispute over Columbus’ place in American history. Supporters have described the holiday as a celebration of exploration and Italian American heritage. Native American advocates and other critics cite Columbus’ treatment of Indigenous people and the violence and displacement that followed European colonization.
The federal holiday was first observed in 1937 after advocacy by the Knights of Columbus and moved from Oct. 12 to the second Monday in October in 1971. More than five decades later, the date continues to mean a paid day off in some places, a different commemoration in others and a regular workday for many Americans.
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