Columbus Day pageant and protest at Aquatic Park

KPIX-TV news footage from October 11, 1971 with reporter Belva Davis featuring scenes from Aquatic Park in San Francisco, where actors and musicians are celebrating Columbus Day, which has been declared a Federal holiday by President Nixon. At the same time Native Americans are commemorating a National Day of Indian Mourning. Includes views of a pageant representing the return to court of Columbus on March 14, 1493 and of Native Americans playing drums, singing and dancing. Adam Fortunate Eagle of the Red Lake Band of Chippewa Indians is interviewed and expresses indignation over the negative impact which the colonization of America had on native peoples. He also criticizes this historical re-enactment being staged for Columbus Day: "They glamorize everything to the point that it's just, you know, all their way and nothing to do with the American Indian ... We have been excluded. Not only in the history books - the textbooks - but also in the society around us. And we see the same kind of exclusion taking place in San Francisco today." Opening graphic designed by Carrie Hawks.

This 16mm color reversal film print was scanned in 4K (4096 x 2970) using a Lasergraphics ScanStation film scanner, in April 2024.