Getty A FedEx airplane is pictured at the terminal of the FedEx.
Columbus Day is here, meaning certain businesses will be closed to honor the federal holiday.
As pointed out by CNN, over 100 cities in the US have replaced Columbus Day with Indigenous Peoples’ Day, from Seattle and Los Angeles to Denver and San Francisco.
Due to the fact that Columbus Day is a federal holiday, most supermarkets will be open, while government agencies like libraries, federal offices, and DMVs will remain closed.
What about those of you waiting for a package? Will FedEx and Amazon deliver?
Here’s what you need to know:
FedEx Will Be Making Deliveries
While mail won’t be delivered on Columbus Day through the U.S. Post Office, FedEx will be making its own deliveries. It’s worth noting that post offices are also expected to be closed.
According to the company’s 2021 holiday service schedule, FedEx Express, FedEx Ground, FedEx Delivery, FedEx Freight and FedEx Office will all be open.
FedEx Ground Economy is the only service that will run on a modified schedule.
Amazon Will Deliver Packages on Monday
Amazon packages can be expected to be delivered today.
According to the company’s website, Columbus Day is not one of the seven paid holidays employees receive.
According to Holiday Schedule Hours, Amazon services are generally available on Columbus Day, though it’s possible shipping will be delayed.
Last year, news surfaced that Amazon was “quickly replacing USPS” with its own delivery service.
Cheddar reported: “In the past, the U.S. Postal Service and other private courier services handled the majority of last-mile deliveries, particularly in lower-density areas where it was less cost-efficient to bring packages. But over the past year, Amazon has rapidly expanded its footprint. The number of Amazon delivery centers increased from 163 in 2019 to 278 in 2020 so far, and MWPVL estimates there will be 415 locations by the end of the year.”
What Else Is Closed on Columbus Day?
CNN reported that while most banks and credit unions remain closed on Columbus Day, people should check their local branches before heading out.
The New York Stock Exchange and Nasdaq will also be open, too, along with National Parks and department stores.
According to CNN, the first Columbus Day celebration in the United States dates back to 1792.
In 1937, President Franklin D. Roosevelt named the day a national holiday.
To this date, Columbus Day is largely controversial.
According to History.com, Columbus came into contact with a number of indigenous people during his travels, and the explorer’s use of violence and slavery are hotly debated.
The outlet writes, “On his first day in the New World, he ordered six of the natives to be seized, writing in his journal that he believed they would be good servants. Throughout his years in the New World, Columbus enacted policies of forced labor in which natives were put to work for the sake of profits. Later, Columbus sent thousands of peaceful Taino ‘Indians’ from the island of Hispaniola to Spain to be sold. Many died en route.”
According to the Wall Street Journal, President Biden issued a proclamation on October 8 that named October 11 Indigenous Peoples’ Day.
A section of the proclamation read: “We must never forget the centuries long campaign of violence, displacement, assimilation, and terror wrought upon Native communities and Tribal Nations throughout our country.”