Bill to replace Columbus Day moves forward

Following a 40-minute discussion centered on the indigenous history of America, the Montana House of Representatives on Tuesday gave preliminary approval to a measure that would replace Columbus Day with “Montana Heritage Day” in the state’s public-school system.

House Bill 514, sponsored by Rep. Bridget Smith, D-Wolf Point, was originally written to change the holiday — which commemorates a controversial Italian explorer who is often credited with discovering North America — to “Indigenous People’s Day.” But during a lengthy House Education Committee hearing that stretched well into the evening last Friday, lawmakers ultimately settled on amending it to “Montana Heritage Day.”

Rep. Sharon Stewart-Peregoy, D-Crow Agency, delivered an impassioned speech to the House before the vote, lashing out against what she called the popular “myths” about Christopher Columbus perpetuated by the holiday’s position on the calendar.

“When we talk about the Spanish, when we talk about what was going on during that time period, we need to take a look at the history of man and the subjugation” of Native Americans, Stewart-Peregoy said. “If you want to talk about history, it’s time to read that history. Yes, history does repeat itself, because people are ignorant about their own history.”

Her comments were in part directed at Rep. Derek Skees, R-Kalispell, who had previously spoken against the measure before her. Skees argued that Columbus Day should be viewed as an opportunity to teach students the wrongs committed by the explorer, who historians say implemented a system of enslaving indigenous people after he landed in America.

“Where does this stop? When cultures try to erase their past, they’re doomed to repeat,” Skees told the chamber. “We teach in schools today that though he did discover America, what he did to the natives was wrong.”

Several other Republicans also spoke against the measure, arguing that the change did little to change the misconceptions surrounding Columbus, but some GOP lawmakers rose in support.

“I believe that Columbus was set up as a secular saint and he has no right to sainthood,” Rep. Denley Loge, R-St. Regis, said.

Rep. Kelly McCarthy, D-Billings, rebuffed Skees for claiming Columbus discovered the Americas.

“He wasn’t even the first European on this continent. We know that Lief Erikson predated Columbus by at least two centuries,” McCarthy said, adding, that Skees’ hometown of Kalispell is named for a native tribe that occupied the Flathead prior to settlers reaching the area. “It’s really tough to discover something when someone was already here.”

The measure passed the House’s second reading 73-27 and faces a final vote Wednesday.

A similar measure sponsored by Smith, House Bill 322, died after it was tabled by the House State Administration Committee earlier this month. It also would have made the change to “Montana Heritage Day,” but applied the name change across state government.

Reporter Sam Wilson can be reached at 758-4407 or by email at swilson@dailyinterlake.com.