Virgin Islands mark the day as both Columbus Day and something else. (“Official public holiday” typically means government offices are closed and state workers, except those in essential positions, have a paid day off.) In four states, two territories and Washington, D.C., the day is an official public holiday but goes by a different name. The stock markets will remain open, however, as will most retailers and other businesses.īeyond that, Columbus Day seems to be fading as a widely observed holiday, having come under fire in recent decades from Native American advocates and others, who’ve argued that Christopher Columbus isn’t an appropriate person to celebrate.īased on our review of state statutes, human resources websites and other sources, only 16 states and the territory of American Samoa still observe the second Monday in October as an official public holiday exclusively called Columbus Day.

Because federal offices will be closed, so will most banks and the bond markets that trade in U.S. It’s one of 11 official federal holidays, which means federal workers get a paid day off and there’s no mail delivery. When those weren’t available or didn’t have the information we sought, we consulted other agency websites, news media reports and reputable unofficial sources such as local chambers of commerce.įor information about which states observed Columbus Day in previous years and when they switched or dropped it, we turned to “The Book of the States,” published by the Council of State Governments, along with news media accounts, historical essays and other sources.Ĭolumbus Day, the second Monday in October, is one of the most inconsistently celebrated U.S. In most cases, our sources for this post were state administrative, personnel and human resources websites that list official state holidays, along with official compilations of state statutes.

Several other states have designated the second Monday in October as Indigenous Peoples’ Day, or some other name honoring Native Americans, without making it an official state holiday. Our latest update on the status of Columbus Day focuses on states and territories that observe it (or one of its substitutes) as an official public holiday – meaning that state offices are closed and state workers get a paid day off. (Such proclamations, however, typically don’t make permanent changes in the law, and at least some appear not to have been reissued.) Although the federal holiday on the second Monday in October is still officially called Columbus Day, President Biden has for the past two years also proclaimed it Indigenous Peoples’ Day, as have dozens of state and localities around the country. Columbus Day continues to be one of the more contentious of U.S.

October 10 national post day