Columbus Day 2025 Teaching Resources

Explore Columbus Day and Indigenous Peoples' Day resources for teaching students about this day in October.

What Is Columbus Day and Why Is It Celebrated?

Columbus Day is a federal holiday in the United States that was set aside to denote the arrival of Christopher Columbus on the land that is modern-day America in 1492.

The holiday was created by President William Henry Harrison in 1892, and it officially became a national holiday in 1937.

Although Columbus Day is the official name of the federal holiday, some teachers may choose instead to honor Indigenous Peoples' Day in October, teaching students about the Native American peoples upon whose lands Columbus and other European explorers settled.

In fact, the second Monday in October is only observed as an official "Columbus Day" holiday in just 16 states and the territory of American Samoa.

When Is Columbus Day 2025?

Since 1971, this holiday has been marked on the second Monday in October every year. Columbus Day will be celebrated on Monday, October 13, 2025.