9 Columbus Day Memes That Are Hilariously Woke

In 1492, Christopher Columbus sailed the ocean blue and ultimately “discovered” the Americas. Or at least that’s how many history books like to put it.

But the truth is that the Italian explorer accidentally stumbled upon the “New World” while looking for the Indies, he then stole land from indigenous people and claimed it as property of Spain. Columbus’ arrival brought about decades of death, disease and destruction upon the people of the Americas, the consequences of which many Native Americans still feel today.

“One of the biggest misconceptions about Columbus is that he was righteous,” Dr. Leo Killsback, a citizen of the Northern Cheyenne Nation and an assistant professor of American Indian Studies at Arizona State University, told CNN. “The truth is that he was wicked and responsible for the rape and murder of innocent indigenous people.”

In Latin America, several countries observe El Dia de la Raza (Day of the Race) on Oct. 12, the anniversary of Columbus’ landing, as a way to honor their indigenous roots.

Recently, states like Virginia and cities like Denver and Phoenix opted to celebrate Indigenous Peoples Day in lieu of Columbus Day on the second Monday of October. The decision is a way of honoring the culture and legacy of the Indigenous People who first inhabited the continent.

If you’re still not sure why people are pushing for a national Indigenous Peoples Day, let these hilariously woke Instagram memes show you the way.

CORRECTION: An earlier version of this article incorrectly stated Columbus arrived to the Americas in 1942. He arrived in 1492.