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By Matthew Impelli
Life & Trends Reporter
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Monday, October 9, is Columbus Day, a federal holiday that is widely observed around the U.S., meaning that some businesses and government buildings may be closed.
Columbus Day first became a federal holiday in 1937 and celebrates Christopher Columbus's arrival in America in 1492 after traveling from Europe. Columbus was initially searching for Asia, but his three ships, the Nina, the Pinta and the Santa Maria ended up in the Bahamas, making him the first European explorer to reach the Americas.
As with other federal holidays, many stores and businesses, including government buildings, will be closed on Columbus Day, prompting questions if the U.S. Post Office will be open and whether people will receive mail.
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Will the U.S. Post Office be open on Columbus Day?
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A spokesperson for the U.S. Postal Service (USPS) told Newsweek that "In observance of the Columbus Day holiday, Postal Service facilities will be closed for retail transactions on Monday, October 9, 2023. There will be no residential or business deliveries."
A press release from the USPS noted that "Priority Mail Express is delivered 365 days a year and will be delivered on October 9th." The USPS will return to normal delivery hours on Tuesday, October 10, according to the press release.
USPS also closes down for other federal holidays such as Veterans Day, Thanksgiving, Christmas Day, New Year's Day, Martin Luther King Jr. Day, President's Day, Memorial Day, Juneteenth, the Fourth of July and Labor Day.
While Columbus Day is observed throughout the U.S., some states have recently moved away from the holiday's name. Maine, New Mexico, Vermont and Washington, D.C., recognize Indigenous Peoples' Day, according to the Pew Research Center, after President Joe Biden commemorated the day in 2021 to recognize how colonialism impacted different groups of people.
"On Indigenous Peoples' Day, our Nation celebrates the invaluable contributions and resilience of Indigenous peoples, recognizes their inherent sovereignty, and commits to honoring the Federal Government's trust and treaty obligations to Tribal Nations," Biden said in a statement in 2021. "The contributions that Indigenous peoples have made throughout history — in public service, entrepreneurship, scholarship, the arts, and countless other fields — are integral to our Nation, our culture, and our society.
"On Indigenous Peoples' Day, we honor America's first inhabitants and the Tribal Nations that continue to thrive today. I encourage everyone to celebrate and recognize the many Indigenous communities and cultures that make up our great country."
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