The Nashville Metro Council approved a resolution Tuesday requesting that the second Monday of October, often known as Columbus Day, be recognized as Indigenous Peoples' Day.

It came after Mayor Megan Barry earlier this week signed a proclamation declaring the day Indigenous Peoples' Day.

The council resolution, adopted by a 26-5 vote, carries no binding action and does not alter Metro's calendar. Instead, the resolution "urges businesses, organizations, and public entities" to recognize a name that notes the "influences of indigenous culture throughout our history."

"This resolution does not replace or cancel Columbus Day," said East Nashville Councilman Brett Withers, the resolution's lead sponsor. "What it is is a recognition of Indigenous Peoples' Day."

The mayor's proclamation, which also encourages businesses and organizations to observe Indigenous Peoples' Day, says "actions and policies of European colonizers of the Americas destroyed" cultures of the indigenous peoples of the Americas.

"The city of Nashville has a responsibility to oppose the systematic racism towards indigenous people in the United States," her proclamation reads.

Metro's calendar did not recognize Columbus Day even before the proclamation. The state of Tennessee's calendar does recognize Columbus Day, but the governor reserves the right to move the day to a different date.

Withers said many groups of people were impacted by the "colonial enterprise that happened 500 years ago or so."

"Really what this resolution tries to do is to give some of the populations whose cultures have been actively suppressed by governments over historical periods at a time — and in some cases even today — opportunities to celebrate their culture and all the great things they have to offer," he said.

Council members Jim Shulman, Nick Leonardo, Mary Carolyn Roberts, Doug Pardue and Larry Hagar voted against the resolution.

Seven council members, Bob Mendes, Steve Glover, Jeff Syracuse, Holly Huezo, Kevin Rhoten, Kathleen Murphy and Sheri Winer, abstained. That means they were present but did not vote either for or against the resolution.

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Nashville's council leans decidedly left, despite being in politically-red Tennessee, and is often sympathetic to causes that promote inclusion and diversity.

Supporters of the resolution, including many descendants of Native Americans, held demonstrations both Tuesday night outside the council and last month to push for the resolution. Longtime Nashville activist Albert Bender and the American Indian Coalition helped organize the events, which included signs and a drum circle.

"This is a long time coming," Councilman Fabian Bedne said. "I'm not being anti-Italian or anti-Catholic by saying that I want to have recognition of indigenous peoples.

"It's not about being against how we got here. It's about embracing and trying to understand how we got here so we can build a better future."

Columbus, the Italian explorer who arrived in North America in 1492, has become a symbol for activists who equate the exploration of early western settlers to the genocide of Native Americans.

Other cities have also taken recent action on the issue. The Los Angeles City Council, for example, voted in August to eliminate Columbus Day from the city's calendar altogether and replace it with the Indigenous Peoples' Day.

Reach Joey Garrison at 615-259-8236, jgarrison@tennessean.com and on Twitter @joeygarrison.