RI celebrates, considers change as Columbus Day nears

PROVIDENCE, R.I. (WLNE)- Columbus Day has sparked major conversations about the possible renaming of the day as well as what to do next with Providence’s statue that once stood in the Elmwood section of the city.

The statue was taken down last summer after it was vandalized several times.

“The statue is a piece of sculpture it does not signify what the weekend means to people coming up here,” Rick Simone told ABC6 Friday.

Simone, President of the Federal Hill Commerce Association, has been at the helm of the Hill’s preparation of it’s 29th annual Columbus Day Festival.

Rumblings of the statue being moved to the Hill, have become a topic of conversation.

“We never asked for the statue to come up here. People mentioned it, we never asked for it, if it was offered it would be something we would strongly consider.”

Members of Rhode Island’s Native American community want the statue to remain in storage.

“There should be no such thing as Christopher Columbus Day,” said Chino Champlin of the Narragansett Tribe. “How do you discover something from somebody who’s already here. My ancestors were here first.”

Other local leaders saying the holiday also sheds light on topics they feel should be discussed more.

“I feel like for people on the other side, its still a great chance to understand and learn history about our country and how we’ve been able to grow and continue to grow to a more equal society,” said Harrison Tuttle, Executive Director of Rhode Island’s Black Lives Matter Chapter.

Providence’s City Archivist says any decisions about the statue will be up to the Board of Parks Commissioners, who are set to meet in November to make a decision.

But, the City will still go on with its festival this weekend.