HR0127 100TH GENERAL ASSEMBLY

HR0127 LRB100 03913 MST 16822 r

HOUSE RESOLUTION

WHEREAS, On October 12, 1492, Christopher Columbus, an Italian explorer sailing under the flag of Spain, spotted the island of San Salvador in The Bahamas, discovering the "New World" and forever changing the history of the world; and

WHEREAS, The anniversary of Columbus's landing in the Americas became a national holiday in the United States in 1937; it became a State holiday in Illinois in 1963; and

WHEREAS, The arrival of Christopher Columbus to the Americas brought forth an era of terror and oppression unlike any seen before in human history; he helped introduce the concept of slavery to the Americas and dehumanized countless numbers of indigenous peoples; and

WHEREAS, In 1977, a movement began to replace Columbus Day with "Indigenous Peoples' Day", also known as "Native American Day", as a counter-celebration that promotes Native American culture and the celebration of its history; in the years that followed, several local governments and institutions across the United States have either renamed or canceled Columbus Day due to the controversy over his legacy; and

WHEREAS, Renaming Columbus Day as "Indigenous Peoples' Day" would send a clear message that the indigenous people of the Americas are valued in our society, and it will give a voice to the most marginalized group in our nation, Native Americans; therefore, be it

RESOLVED, BY THE HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES OF THE ONE HUNDREDTH GENERAL ASSEMBLY OF THE STATE OF ILLINOIS, that we urge the State of Illinois to rename Columbus Day as "Indigenous Peoples' Day" in honor of those that were in North America prior to the arrival of Christopher Columbus; and be it further

RESOLVED, That suitable copies of this resolution be presented to Governor Bruce Rauner, the Illinois Speaker of the House, the Illinois Senate President, the Illinois House Minority Leader, and the Illinois Senate Minority Leader.