At the Committee of the Whole meeting on Tuesday, November 12, the City of Springfield put the brakes on a resolution to recognize the second Monday of October as Indigenous Peoples’ Day.
The proposal first came before the City in the form of a petition, initially presented by Maribel and Michelle Cruz Hine, with signatures gathered from throughout the City and with support from several community organizations. As was later noted by Alderman Hanauer of Ward 10, at present Springfield recognizes no holiday on the second Monday of October; however for the past century, that day is popularly regarded as Columbus Day.
Despite initial enthusiasm among several alderpeople, the resolution’s progress was halted when Ward 2 Alderman Shawn Gregory moved for the measure to be placed on the debate agenda rather than consent. “We’ve had many, many people that called us, [not against] of the proclamation and recognizing of indigenous people, but the taking away of Columbus Day,” explained Alderman Gregory.
Citing the 1990 proclamation of National American Indian Heritage Month, Gregory suggested an alternative date marking Indigenous Peoples’ Day in November. He initially offered this as an amendment to the resolution.
“The hard part for me is that there’s people who respect Columbus,” observed Gregory. “As a Black man in America, I don’t want to slight anybody else’s holiday and what they care about for another.”
Multiple alderpeople reported similar complaints from constituents of Italian heritage who worried that the recognition of Indigenous Peoples’ Day would impugn the identity of Italian Americans; the holiday was originally observed by the US government with a focus on celebrating Italian Americans.
A few alderpeople voiced their sympathy for such sentiments. “One call that stood out to me,” recalled Alderwoman Lakeisha Purchase of Ward 5, “’How would you and Alderman Gregory feel if we came up here and tried to change Dr. Martin Luther King Day?’ I would have a major issue, I would feel some type of way… so when you look at both aspects, I told this individual, ‘It’s a learning curve.’”
Others in attendance were less impressed with the argument.
“As far as I know, Martin Luther King was not a rapist who kidnapped children, murdered countless thousands of indigenous people,” quipped Springfield resident Ken Pache during public comment. “Hundreds of other cities in the United States have absolutely stuck with the date that was chosen — other states including Alabama and Mississippi have already made it Indigenous Peoples’ Day, or a variation of that.”
Ward 6 Alderwoman Jennifer Notariano, who chaired the meeting, offered her perspective as an Italian American in favor of Indigenous Peoples’ Day — recalling the circumstances of the holiday’s initial adoption, which she described as a way to “smooth things over” amidst racial violence targeting Italian immigrants, she declared Columbus Day “illegitimate.”
“I do not see where we could go wrong recognize indigenous peoples’ contributions to this country,” she asserted.
At this Alderman Gregory withdrew his amendment proposal for the time being, but maintained his motion for debate, stating he wished to take time to discuss the subject further. The motion for debate held, with 7 voting Yes and 3 voting No: Alderman Chuck Redpath of Ward 1, Alderwoman Notariano, and Alderman Hanauer voted in the minority.
The resolution will likely be revisited at City Council.
