![]() The observance of Columbus Day is not without controversy, however. Thanks to Columbus’ Italian heritage, some Italian-American circles celebrate Columbus Day as a holiday celebrating Italian history, culture, and accomplishments. Columbus Day has been observed on the second Monday of October since 1971. Roosevelt declared the occasion a national holiday. It was organized by the Columbian Order (Society of St. The first celebration of Columbus’s landing in the New World occurred in 1792. It kicked off a significant connection between the Old World and the New World. On October 12, 1492, Columbus landed on a small island in the Bahamas, convinced that he had reached his destination of Asia. Although he was not the first European to come across the Americas (Vikings, among others, had visited before), his journey sparked enthusiasm for European exploration of the hemisphere. However, many believed that such a westward journey was impossible. Columbus, an Italian, was convinced otherwise and persuaded King Ferdinand and Queen Isabella of Spain to sponsor his exploration and search for riches. People assumed a ship traveling west from Europe would sail clear through to Asia. In Christopher Columbus’ day, scholars knew already that the world was round the fact dated from the ancient Greeks. In 2023, Columbus Day will be observed on Monday, October 9. This means that the date changes from year to year. Recently, it has taken effect as an official state holiday in various places.When is Thanksgiving 2023? Traditions, History, and RecipesĬolumbus Day is observed on the second Monday in October each year. Since the early 70s, many states have petitioned to have the name changed to National Indigenous People’s Day to honor Native Americans and commemorate their stories and culture. He also was responsible for the enslavement, mutilation, and mass genocide of thousands of Native Americans and indigenous people.īecause of this fact, the celebration of Columbus Day has become less and less of a day of pride and more of a painful reminder to a dark past in American history. To many, Christopher Columbus is not a celebrated hero, but a violent tyrant who wasn’t very good at navigating, considering he thought he’d landed in India when reaching the Americas. ![]() Over the years, the celebration of Christopher Columbus Day has become more and more controversial due to the atrocities he committed against Native Americans. These efforts were successful and Columbus Day became a federal holiday in 1968. Lucca, from Buffalo, NY, founded the National Columbus Day Committee, which lobbied to make Columbus Day a federal holiday. Many Italian-Americans took this as an opportunity to celebrate their heritage. These rituals took themes such as citizenship boundaries and the importance of loyalty to the nation. During this celebration, politicians, poets, teachers, and preachers began to spin the web of patriotism under the veil of Columbus. This was part of a larger effort after the lynching incident to placate Italian Americans and ease diplomatic tensions with Italy. By the 400th anniversary, following a lynching in New Orleans where a mob had murdered 11 Italian immigrants, President Benjamin Harrison declared Columbus Day as a one-time national celebration. ![]() Though Columbus discovered the Americas in 1492, the earliest documentation of any unofficial celebration of Columbus Day wasn’t until 1792.
0 Comments
Leave a Reply. |
AuthorWrite something about yourself. No need to be fancy, just an overview. ArchivesCategories |