Maine renames Columbus Day to honor Native Americans

“Our history is by no means perfect. But, for too long, it has been written and presented in a way that fails to acknowledge our shortcomings,” Mills said in a statement.

The October holiday is often criticized for celebrating the atrocities brought upon by colonization.

“There is power in a name and in who we choose to honor,” Mills said. “Today, we take another step in healing the divisions of the past, in fostering inclusiveness, in telling a fuller, deeper history, and in bringing the State and Maine’s tribal communities together to build a future shaped by mutual trust and respect.”

Penobscot Nation Tribal Ambassador Maulian Dana told CBS Portland, Maine affiliate WGME she “honestly didn’t see it happening.”

“It’s hard in a state like Maine where we do have a lot of racial tensions, we do have a lot of misunderstandings and a lot of gaps between groups, I think, ” Dana said.

The legislation has failed in Maine twice before.