Mike L. Graham, who is Cherokee, is founder of United Native America, which is working to abolish Columbus Day and create a federal national holiday for Native Americans. The online holiday petition which he started has more than 63,000 signatures.

John Anthony McGuckin is a professor at Union Theological Seminary in New York City. He is the author of The Orthodox Church: An Introduction to Its History, Doctrine and Spiritual Culture (2008) and many other books and articles.

Read an Oct. 10, 2005, Democracy Now transcript about activism for Indigenous Peoples Day.

Journal/islam is a program through Michigan State University’s School of Journalism. The goal of the IMAJE project  is to develop with and for journalism faculty a  nuanced perspective on Islam, Muslims, and Muslim societies that will generate more accurate reporting.  It is not intended as an exhaustive resource on Islam and Muslims.  Rather, this website […]

Read the government’s past updates on its “Hurricane Help for Schools” program (the site is no longer updated past August 2006). Private schools and religious schools are eligible for aid.

The National Council of Churches adopted a resolution called “A Faithful Response” in 1990 calling the 500th anniversary of Columbus’ first landing and “the painful aspects of the American history of racism.”

Read a History article about the history behind Columbus day and what it means to Americans today.

Read a March 6, 2011 article about the “quintessential American issues of free speech and ethnic pride” against the Columbus Day parade debate in Denver, Colorado.  

Thomas E. FitzGerald is professor of church history and historical theology at Hellenic College and Holy Cross Greek Orthodox School of Theology in Brookline, Mass.