christopher columbus

Detroit plans to recognize Indigenous Peoples Day starting next year instead of Columbus Day.

The Detroit News reports City Council approved a proposal Tuesday on the issue about how to mark the second Monday of October.

Detroit joins five other  Michigan cities that have adopted Indigenous Peoples Day, including Alpena, Ann Arbor, East Lansing, Traverse City and Ypsilanti.

Ann Arbor city council passed a resolution on Nov. 16 recognizing Indigenous Peoples Day in place of the nation-wide holiday, Columbus Day.

The Ann Arbor News reported Ann Arbor city council's decision this morning:

The City of Ypsilanti is considering renaming Columbus Day "Indigenous Peoples Day."

Mayor Amanda Edmonds wrote the resolution to make the change.

She said renaming Columbus Day would be a "relatively simple" symbolic gesture to recognize the region's Native American heritage.

“[This isn't] the only thing that needs to be done to recognize, to celebrate, to honor [indigenous peoples] and to right some of the wrongs, but it is one step,” Edmonds said.

So much so that they're apparently taking it out on statues now.

Google "Columbus statue vandalism" and you'll drum up all manner of news stories about statues where people have expressed their opinion of the Italian explorer.

Today, it was Detroit's turn.

TRAVERSE CITY, Mich. (AP) - A Traverse City commissioner has pulled from Monday's agenda a resolution to rename Columbus Day as Indigenous Peoples Day.

The Traverse City Record-Eagle reports  Commissioner Jim Carruthers agreed to sponsor the resolution, but says it's not ready for a vote.

The resolution was requested by American Indian activist group Idle No More Michigan.

Carruthers says he wants to give Idle No More organizers more time to get a resolution of support from the Grand Traverse Band of Ottawa and Chippewa Indians.