City votes to change Columbus Day to Indigenous Peoples' Day

SOUTH FULTON, Ga. — After a unanimous vote, the City of South Fulton is changing the name of Columbus Day to Indigenous Peoples’ Day.

The resolution was drafted by Mayor Pro Tem Mark Baker.

It says the day “recognizes the tremendous and unique contributions of the people who inhabited the United States of America prior to its colonization.”

Baker wrote on his Facebook page that the city may be the first in the entire state to make this name change, and now he’s calling on the residents to call on their representative to support his resolution.

“It’s extremely necessary,” he said. “We are here to celebrate those people … They are disrespected, not acknowledged the way they should be. They are neglected. They are nameless, faceless, voiceless.”

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Many people who live there were happy with the decision.

“I think it’s a legitimate cause to change it,” Kimberly Truitt said.

“Change is good. I don’t see anything wrong with it. It’s still a part of history,” Amy Apple said.

Baker said he’s now calling on others to make the same change.

“I know the City of Atlanta is behind us, as well as Clarkston,” Baker said.

Even though it’s passed, the mayor could veto it within 10 days.

Berkeley, California was the first city to make this change in 1992, but since then, the name change has been picking up steam with more than 50 cities following suit in just the past two years.

Cox Media Group