The Arizona Cardinals faced criticism on social media on Monday as it wished its followers a happy Indigenous Peoples’ Day as others celebrated Columbus Day.
The Cardinals did not offer a happy Columbus Day post. Arizona is one of the states in the U.S. that observe the second Monday in October as a paid holiday for Columbus Day, according to the Pew Research Center.
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Detailed view of an Arizona Cardinals logo during a press conference at the Cardinals Training Facility. (Mark J. Rebilas-USA TODAY Sports)
Arizona Gov. Katie Hobbs said last year she would support a bill to rename the holiday Indigenous Peoples’ Day. Tempe and Phoenix are two of the cities in Arizona that established Indigenous Peoples’ Day as a paid holiday, according to KOLD-TV.
“Recognizing and celebrating Indigenous peoples’ resilience, strength and contributions,” the Cardinals, who play in Glendale, wrote on X.
It appeared to upset some people on social media.
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Columbus Day is a federal holiday that officially celebrates and recognizes Italian explorer Christopher Columbus’ arrival in the Americas in 1492. Democratic President Franklin Delano Roosevelt signed a proclamation in 1934 making Columbus Day a national holiday following lobbying from the Italian American and Catholic communities.
Activists in recent years have worked to disassociate the day from Columbus, claiming it celebrates colonialism and genocide of indigenous people, in favor of celebrating Native Americans. Activists have also worked to remove Columbus statues from cities, including toppling such statues during the riots of 2020.
First Landing of Christopher Columbus, 1800/1805. Artist Frederick Kemmelmeyer. (Heritage Art/Heritage Images via Getty Images)
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President Biden became the first president in 2021 to formally recognize Indigenous Peoples’ Day on the same holiday.
Fox News’ Emma Colton contributed to this report.
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