Columbus Day 2024, and if you didn’t know, it’s also now known as Indigenous Peoples Day, is one of the most inconsistently observed federal holidays in the United States. Falling annually on the second Monday in October, this day has become a focal point for discussions about how we recognize history. While it’s one of the nation’s 11 federally recognized holidays, many businesses, states, and institutions opt not to observe it, especially as more attention is directed away from honoring explorer Christopher Columbus to acknowledging the original inhabitants of North America.

Due to these shifts, Columbus Day isn’t as widely celebrated as it once was. However, since it remains a federal holiday, some services and businesses will be closed on October 14 this year. Here’s a breakdown of what’s open and closed on Columbus Day 2024.

Hettler Insurance Agency

OPEN: We are open today. Come see us at our new location @ 4720 S Loop 289, Lubbock, TX 79414 (google maps link), just a few building up the street from our old location. Or, call us @ (806) 798-7800, M-F, 8:30am-5pm. We still do it all: auto insurance, home insurance, business insurance, health insurance, and life insurance.

Federal Offices

Closed: Yes, Monday, October 14, is a federal holiday. Federal offices will be closed, and federal employees will have the day off.

Banks

Closed: Some major banks like Bank of America and Wells Fargo will be closed.
Open: Others, such as Chase and TD Bank, will remain open. It’s advisable to check with your local branch for specific hours.

Mail Services

Closed: The U.S. Postal Service will not deliver regular mail, and its retail branches will be closed.
Exceptions: Priority Mail Express may still be delivered in some regions for an additional fee.

Stock Market

Open: Both the New York Stock Exchange and Nasdaq will operate on their regular schedules. They do not observe Columbus Day as a holiday.

Retail Stores

Walmart: Open during regular hours.
Costco: Open. Costco is closed on seven major holidays each year, but Columbus Day is not one of them.

Restaurants

Chick-fil-A: Open on Columbus Day 2024, but some locations may have limited hours. It’s best to check with your local restaurant for specific times.

Whether you’re planning to run errands, do some shopping, or need to visit the bank, it’s important to know what’s open and closed on Columbus Day. Always consider checking ahead with local businesses to confirm their hours of operation.

You may ask: What Are Indigenous Peoples?

Indigenous Peoples are the original inhabitants of a region or country, whose ancestral roots and cultural connections to the land predate historical events such as colonization, migration, or the formation of modern nation-states. They have their own unique traditions, languages, spiritual beliefs, and social structures that are distinct from the dominant societies that later developed in those areas.

Key characteristics of Indigenous Peoples include:

Historical Continuity: They have a long-standing relationship with a specific territory or region, often spanning thousands of years.

Cultural Distinctiveness: Indigenous communities maintain unique cultural practices, languages, knowledge systems, and oral traditions that are passed down through generations.

Self-Identification: They identify themselves (well, this part causes an issue, if anyone can claim to be just anything they want), and are recognized by others, as belonging to distinct cultural groups.

Desire to Maintain Ancestral Environments: Indigenous Peoples often have a deep spiritual and cultural connection to their ancestral lands and strive to protect and preserve these environments.

Globally, Indigenous Peoples face various challenges, including:

Land Rights Issues: Struggles to retain or regain ownership and control over ancestral lands.

Cultural Preservation: Efforts to protect their languages, traditions, and ways of life from assimilation or erosion.  Preservation can be a hard problem.  It only takes one generation to change a society.  The desire of the younger generation to assimilate into the more dominate society can erode the indigenous community very quickly.

Social and Economic Issues: Addressing disparities in health, education, and economic opportunities compared to the broader population.

Legal Recognition: Seeking acknowledgment and respect for their rights under national and international laws.