If you’re scrambling to figure out what day was Columbus Day recently, or why your bank was closed when you thought it was a normal Monday, you aren't alone. It happens to the best of us. Every October, the same collective confusion hits. Was it the 12th? Is it always a Monday? Why did some people call it Indigenous Peoples' Day instead?
The short answer is that in the United States, Columbus Day is a federal holiday observed on the second Monday in October. In 2025, that fell on October 13. In 2024, it was October 14. If you go way back to the original historical date, the "real" day was October 12, 1492. That's when Rodrigo de Triana, a sailor on the Pinta, finally spotted land after weeks of nothing but blue water and anxious crewmates.
The Shift From October 12 to Floating Mondays
For a long time, the holiday was straightforward. It was October 12. Period.
But things changed because of a piece of legislation called the Uniform Monday Holiday Act of 1968. Congress decided—honestly, pretty logically—that federal employees would be much happier with three-day weekends than random mid-week breaks. So, they bundled a bunch of holidays, including Washington’s Birthday and Memorial Day, into this "Monday-only" format.
Columbus Day officially moved to the second Monday of October starting in 1971.
This creates a weird bit of calendar math. Because it's tied to the day of the week rather than the date, the holiday can fall anywhere between October 8 and October 14. If you're trying to plan a car sale or a trip to the DMV, you basically have to check your phone's calendar every single year because it never stays put.
Why the 12th Still Matters to Some
In many parts of the world, especially in Latin America, the date hasn't budged. They call it Día de la Raza or Día de la Hispanidad. In Italy, too, the celebration is often tied strictly to the 12th.
It’s interesting how we treat time differently here. In the States, we prioritized the long weekend and the "lifestyle" aspect of the holiday. In other cultures, the specific numerical date is seen as a sacred anchor to the actual event of 1492.
The Identity Crisis: Columbus Day vs. Indigenous Peoples' Day
You’ve probably noticed that the answer to what day was Columbus Day is getting complicated by the name itself.
Across the country, the holiday is undergoing a massive rebranding. It isn't just a change in tone; it's a change in law for many states. South Dakota was actually the trailblazer here, adopting Native American Day back in 1989. Since then, the momentum has shifted significantly.
- States like Alaska, Vermont, and New Mexico have officially ditched the Columbus name in favor of Indigenous Peoples' Day.
- In many cities—think Seattle, Minneapolis, and Denver—you won't see "Columbus" on any city calendars.
- The White House has also started issuing dual proclamations.
This creates a "split" reality. Depending on where you live, that second Monday in October might be a day to celebrate Italian-American heritage, or it might be a day to reflect on the devastating impact of European colonization on the people who were already here. Both things happen on the same Monday.
What Actually Happened on October 12, 1492?
Let's look at the facts. Columbus didn't "discover" America in the sense that he landed in Florida or New York. He wasn't even the first European to make it over—Leif Erikson and the Norsemen beat him by about 500 years.
When people ask what day was Columbus Day in a historical context, they are talking about the moment the fleet hit the Bahamas. Columbus called the island San Salvador. He thought he was in the East Indies. He was wrong.
He spent months sailing around the Caribbean, hitting Cuba and Hispaniola, convinced he was just a short boat ride away from the gold and spices of mainland Asia. He never actually set foot on the North American continent. That’s a common misconception that sticks around because of how we're taught in elementary school.
The Logistics of the Voyage
Think about the sheer grit (and insanity) of that first trip.
Three ships: the Santa María, the Pinta, and the Niña.
Roughly 90 men.
They left Spain in August. By October, the crew was ready to mutiny. Columbus was basically fudging the logs, telling the men they had traveled fewer leagues than they actually had so they wouldn't freak out about how far they were from home.
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When they finally hit land on October 12, it changed the world's geography forever, but it also started a period of intense conflict, disease, and exploitation. That’s why the day is so polarized now. It represents the "Old World" meeting the "New World," but that meeting was incredibly violent for the inhabitants of the Americas.
Is Columbus Day a "Real" Holiday Anymore?
It depends on who you ask.
If you work for the federal government or a bank, yes. It's one of the eleven permanent federal holidays. Mail doesn't move. The stock market, however, stays open. That's a weird quirk. While the bond market usually closes, the New York Stock Exchange and Nasdaq keep trading.
If you're a retail worker? It’s just another Monday, probably with a "Fall Sale" attached to it.
State-by-State Breakdown
The holiday is technically "optional" for states. Not every state recognizes it.
- Florida and Illinois still have big celebrations, often tied to Italian-American pride.
- California and Texas have largely moved away from it or don't observe it as a paid state holiday.
- Hawaii celebrates Discoverers' Day, which honors the Polynesian navigators.
This patchwork of recognition makes it even harder to remember what day was Columbus Day in any given year. If you live in a state that doesn't observe it, the day passes like any other. If you live in a city with a large Italian-American population, like New York or Philadelphia, there are massive parades and festivals.
Addressing the Common Myths
We have to clear up some of the stuff people still get wrong.
First, the "Flat Earth" thing. It’s a total myth that people in 1492 thought Columbus would sail off the edge of the world. Educated Europeans had known the earth was a sphere since the time of the Ancient Greeks. The argument wasn't about the shape of the world; it was about the size. Columbus thought the world was much smaller than it actually is. He thought he could reach Asia quickly. His critics were right—the world was huge, and if the Americas hadn't been there, Columbus and his crew would have starved to death in the middle of the ocean.
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Second, the "Discovery" label. You can't really discover a place where millions of people are already living, trading, and building civilizations. Historians now prefer terms like "Contact" or "The Great Exchange."
How to Check the Date for Future Years
Since the holiday floats, here is the quick way to find it. Look for October 1st. If October 1st is a Monday, that’s the first Monday. The next one is your day. If October 1st is a Tuesday, you have to wait nearly two full weeks.
Here is what the upcoming schedule looks like for the second Monday in October:
- 2026: October 12 (Back on the original date!)
- 2027: October 11
- 2028: October 9
It’s a bit of a moving target.
Actionable Insights for the Next October Monday
Now that you know what day was Columbus Day and why it’s a bit of a mess, here is how to handle it going forward without getting caught off guard.
Check your banking needs early. Since it is a federal holiday, wire transfers won't process and physical branches will be locked. If you have a bill due on that Monday, pay it on Friday.
Understand your local context. If you're traveling, check if the city you're visiting celebrates Indigenous Peoples' Day or Columbus Day. This affects parking enforcement, public transit schedules, and whether or not local museums are open or hosting special events.
Use the day for reflection or education. Regardless of where you stand on the controversy, it's a perfect time to read up on actual 15th-century history. Check out 1491 by Charles C. Mann if you want to see what the Americas really looked like before Columbus arrived. It's eye-opening and way more complex than the "wilderness" narrative we usually get.
Verify school schedules. Don't assume your kids have the day off. Many school districts have traded Columbus Day for a professional development day for teachers, or they've moved the "fall break" to a different week entirely.
The bottom line is that the second Monday in October is a day of transition. It's a bridge between the heat of summer and the start of the holiday season. Whether you call it Columbus Day, Indigenous Peoples' Day, or just "that Monday I don't get my mail," its history is a tangled, fascinating part of how we define ourselves today.