Wicked Local
On Saturday, May 15, Bedford voters will be asked to change the name of Columbus Day to Indigenous Peoples Day.
A yes vote will add Bedford to a growing list of cities and towns in Massachusetts making the switch. This is really a chance to honor the tradition of the people and start to repair the damage done, said Anne Caron.
Caron and Heather Leavell are the local driving forces behind the proposed change. Leavell, a recent transplant from Melrose, had been working on the change in that town for several years. Successful, she wanted to effect a similar change in her adopted community.
Updates from the Newton Free Library
Community Content
Newton Free Library Programs for adults
A Conversation with Robert Reich: 7 p.m. Feb. 11. Join us for an engaging conversation with Robert Reich on his latest book, “The System: Who Rigged It, How We Fix It.” Christopher Lydon, host of the original podcast, “Open Source,” heard in Boston on WBUR, will moderate. Presented in partnership with libraries across Massachusetts and in New Hampshire.
Light Up Valentine’s Day Cards: 7 p.m. Feb. 11. Join us in creating handmade Valentine’s Day Cards with a bright twist! We’ll create cards with copper tape, LED lights and a button battery to create a simple circuit that will add light to your Valentine’s Day cards. After registering, come by the library to grab your kit with all the necessary supplies then join us on Zoom to create your card.
Easthampton weighs whether to replace Columbus Day with Indigenous Peoples Day
Updated Dec 15, 2020;
Columbus Day became a federal holiday in 1937 when Franklin Delano Roosevelt was president.
Amherst, Northampton, Somerville, Cambridge and Brookline now celebrate Indigenous Peoples Day instead of Columbus Day.
In 1492 Christopher Columbus, with trio of ships, Nina, Pinta and Santa Maria, had sailed from Spain, landing in what is now called The Bahamas Oct. 12 of that year.
A group called Italian Americans for Indigenous Peoples Day wrote a letter to Easthampton City Council that is part of the council’s packet for the Oct. 14 meeting, when the body scheduled a discussion on the matter for Dec. 16.