…not the one who imported disease, violence, and genocide to the New World.
Today is officially Columbus Day, and while we don’t make it a practice of praising murderous conquistadors, there’s no need for us to go in–Twitter has that covered.
While some folks are enjoying their mattress sale or day off from work, others are remembering the only Christopher that matters–Wallace, Christopher Wallace aka the Notorious B.I.G.
The only Christopher we acknowledge.
Art by Jules Arthur. pic.twitter.com/fhBR2mP5aK
— Brittany Packnett (@MsPackyetti) October 10, 2016
Happy Christopher WALLACE Day!
— Taraji P. Henson (@TherealTaraji) October 10, 2016
While we’d take just about any Christopher over the homicidal one (Chris Paul, Christopher Reid, Kris Kross), others used the moment to educate folks on the real Christopher Columbus, not the one they teach in schools.
30 million Native Americans populated the U.S. before the arrival of Christopher Columbus #ColumbusDay
— Khaled Beydoun (@KhaledBeydoun) October 10, 2016
So y'all are just going to keep celebrating #ColumbusDay like he wasn't a genocidal maniac? Can't relate. pic.twitter.com/xjyTfjctLY
— Hunter Burrow (@hunter_thegirl1) October 10, 2016
Columbus raped women, enslaved children, cut up body parts of natives that tried to escape, and killed them all later. Happy #ColumbusDay
— The Progressive Wave (@TheProWave) October 10, 2016
https://twitter.com/JamalWade_/status/785476678113984513
Even National Geographic got in on the Columbus Day shade.
A reminder: #ColumbusDay celebrates a man who cut off the hands of Indigenous people who didn't give him enough gold. #IndigenousPeoplesDay pic.twitter.com/F57tFyY57H
— NatGeo Education (@NatGeoEducation) October 10, 2016
Cities across the country aren’t feeling him either. So far about nine have ditched the colonizer and instead have chosen to recognize Native Americans and celebrate Indigenous Peoples’ Day.
The sentiment also spread across Twitter.
F**k honoring a genocidal European terrorist, who rapped, tortured&enslaved a peaceful hospitable foreign nation. #indigenouspeoplesday
— Eric Benét (@ebenet) October 10, 2016
https://twitter.com/JocelynALoza/status/785456803513503744
Chris, who? Nah. #IndigenousPeoplesDay
— Mike Byrd (@HOPEdealer_Mike) October 10, 2016
Want to learn more about why Columbus Day is so problematic? Check out this EBONY.com piece about the holiday. Oh, and read more about the connection between Native Americans and African Americans here.
