Eight states and over 130 U.S. cities have renamed the holiday that falls on the second Monday of October to honor instead America's first inhabitants. There is a growing movement to change the name of Columbus Day because of the atrocities committed by Christopher Columbus against the indigenous people he encountered when he came to the Americas. Many feel it is, at the very least, insensitive to honor Columbus and ignore the suffering he inflicted. This change is seen as another step in healing the divisions of the past and in creating an opportunity for fostering inclusiveness and meaningful dialogue.