A Brief History of Columbus Day

1. Who is Columbus?

Christopher Columbus is believed to have been born between Aug. 25 and Oct. 31, 1451. He was born in Genoa, Italy and his given name was Cristoforo Colombo. He began a career as a seafarer at the age of 14 and later supported himself by selling maps and charts. (www.associatedcontent.com)

2. The holiday itself

Columbus Day, which is annually on the second Monday of October, remembers Christopher Columbus' arrival to the Americas on Oct. 12, 1492. This holiday is controversial because the European settlement in the Americas led to the demise of the history and culture of the indigenous peoples. (www.timeanddate.com)

3. What do people do?

Officially, Americans are invited to celebrate the anniversary of the discovery of their country with church services and other activities. In some towns and cities, special church services, parades and large events are held. Most celebrations are concentrated around the Italian-American community. The celebrations in New York and San Francisco are particularly noteworthy. In Hawaii Columbus Day is also known as Landing Day or Discoverer's Day.

Not all parts of the United States celebrate Columbus Day. It is not a public holiday in California, Nevada and Hawaii. Moreover, Native Americans’ Day is celebrated in South Dakota, while Indigenous People’s Day is celebrated in Berkeley, California. (www.timeanddate.com)

4. The first Columbus Day

In 1905, Colorado became the first state to observe a Columbus Day. Over the next 20 years, other states have followed. In 1937, President Franklin Roosevelt proclaimed every Oct. 12 Columbus Day. The holiday has been celebrated on the second Monday in October since 1971. (www.usfederalholidays.com)

5. Columbus Day alternatives

Opposition to Columbus Day dates back to the 19th century, when anti-immigrant groups in the United States rejected the holiday because of its association with Catholicism. In recent decades, Native Americans and other groups have protested the celebration of an event that indirectly resulted in the colonization of the Americas and the death of millions: European settlers brought a host of infectious diseases, including smallpox and influenza, that decimated indigenous populations; warfare between Native Americans and the colonists claimed many lives as well. The image of Christopher Columbus as an intrepid hero has also been called into question. Upon arriving in the Bahamas, the explorer and his men forced the native peoples they found there into slavery; later, while serving as the governor of Hispaniola, he allegedly imposed barbaric forms of punishment, including torture.

In many Latin American nations, the anniversary of Columbus' landing has traditionally been observed as the Dìa de la Raza ("Day of the Race"), a celebration of Hispanic culture's diverse roots. In 2002, Venezuela renamed the holiday Dìa de la Resistencia Indìgena ("Day of Indigenous Resistance") to recognize native peoples and their experience. Several U.S. cities and states have replaced Columbus Day with alternative days of remembrance; examples include Berkeley's Indigenous Peoples Day, South Dakota's Native American Day and Hawaii's Discoverer's Day, which commemorates the arrival of Polynesian settlers. (www.history.com)