PORTSMOUTH — After a passionate plea from high school students to make a change, the City Council narrowly voted Monday to reject permanently placing Indigenous Peoples Day on the city calendar alongside Columbus Day.
Councilor Cliff Lazenby made a motion for the city to recognize Indigenous Peoples Day “instead of what has been typically designated by the state of New Hampshire as Columbus Day."
Councilor Petra Huda moved to amend the motion to give residents the choice to recognize either Indigenous Peoples Day or Columbus Day “until such time as the state and federal laws recognize the need for change or elimination of the current name.” That was later amended to permanently recognize both holidays alongside each other. It failed in a 5-4 vote.