Columbus Day in U.S. 2023: Date, History, Facts Regarding Columbus

Columbus Day is a federal holiday observed in the United States on October 9 to commemorate Christopher Columbus’s arrival in the Americas in 1492. However, this commemoration has been the subject of considerable controversy in recent decades due to the numerous atrocities committed by Christopher Columbus against Native Americans during his lifetime as an explorer. As a consequence, numerous locations across the United States, including California, New York, Minnesota, and Colorado, have renamed this occasion Indigenous People’s Day. This day is no longer obligated to be a somber reminder, but rather a constructive emblem of our advancements and transformations. If you are fortunate enough to be unemployed today, this is an excellent opportunity to enhance your knowledge of Native American culture and the founding fathers of our country.

The background of Columbus Day

Although Christopher Columbus first visited the Americas in 1492, it wasn’t until 1792 that the earliest records of an unofficial Columbus Day celebration appeared. On the 400th anniversary of the lynching that occurred in New Orleans, during which eleven Italian immigrants were assassinated by a mob, President Benjamin Harrison proclaimed Columbus Day a singular national observance. After the lynching, this action was taken as part of a larger endeavor to appease Italian Americans and reduce diplomatic tensions with Italy.

Under the guise of Christopher Columbus, politicians, poets, educators, and clergy initiated the web of patriotism during this celebration. These rituals incorporated concepts such as the limits of citizenship and the significance of allegiance to the country. Numerous Italian-Americans utilized this occasion to honor their heritage. Mariano A. Lucca, a native of Buffalo, New York, did not establish the National Columbus Day Committee until 1966. This organization advocated for the recognition of Columbus Day as a federal holiday. In 1968, as a result of these fruitful efforts, Columbus Day was designated a federal holiday.

Christopher Columbus Day has become an increasingly contentious occasion to commemorate over time, owing to the atrocities he perpetrated against Native Americans. Christopher Columbus is not widely regarded as a heroic figure; rather, he is perceived as a violent despot who lacked navigational prowess, as evidenced by the fact that he mistook India for the Americas upon his arrival. His legacy also included the widespread genocide, enslavement, and mutilation of thousands of Native Americans and indigenous people.

Columbus Day Wishes, Greetings, Quotes, Captions

As a consequence of this circumstance, the observance of Columbus Day has progressively transformed from a cause for national pride to an agonizing reminder of a somber period in American history. Numerous states have submitted petitions since the early 1970s to alter the name to National Indigenous Peoples’ Day in remembrance of Native Americans and to celebrate their heritage and customs. It has recently been designated as an official state holiday in several jurisdictions.

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5 Interesting Facts Regarding Columbus

The flagship of Christopher Columbus encountered a coral reef off the northern coast of Hispaniola on Christmas Eve, 1492.

Columbus returned to the first European settlement in the Americas in the autumn of 1493, having abandoned nearly forty crew members in order to establish the settlement. Upon his return, he discovered that none of his crew had survived.

In August 1500, there was widespread demand for Columbus’s arrest, prompting a royal commissioner to be dispatched to Hispaniola. In spite of this, Columbus was returned to Spain in chains; King Ferdinand, nevertheless, granted him his freedom and provided financial support for a fourth voyage.

Columbus devised a cunning deception after being abandoned by half of his crew and denied food by the islanders in Jamaica. He claimed that his deity would punish them for their failure to aid him, and the lunar eclipse was an indication of that.

Although many people believe Columbus’ primary objective was to disprove the theory of a flat earth, by 1492, the majority of knowledgeable individuals had established that the planet did not have the shape of a pancake.

COLUMBUS DAY DATES