Columbus Day

By Chris J. Lopez-Henriquez

Columbus Day is known by many as a U.S. holiday that commemorates the “landing of Christopher Columbus in the Americas in 1492,” according to History.com editors, a wide range of writers who work to create accurate and informative content, including editors like Amanda Onion, Missy Sulllivan and Matt Mullen. October 12th still holds the day of celebration, where for many it’s a way of both honoring Columbus’ achievements, as well as discoveries overseas and the Italian-American heritage. 

An Italian-born explorer set sail in August 1492 bound for Asia with backing from the Spanish monarchs King Ferdinand and Queen Isabella aboard the ships Nina, Pinta and Santa Maria. His intent was to chart a western sea route to China, India, and the fabled gold and spice islands of Asia. Instead, October 12, 1492, Columbus and his ships landed in the Bahamas, becoming the first Europeans to explore the Americas since the Vikings established colonies in Greenland and Newfoundland during the 10th century. 

However, to many others, Columbus is the man who has generated controversy, and therefore many alternatives to the holiday have been proposed since the 1970s, including that of Indigenous Peoples’ Day, now celebrated in a handful of U.S. states. His so-called new findings developed controversy such as the use of violence and slavery, the forced conversion of native peoples to Christianity, and the introduction of a host of “new diseases that would have dramatic long-term effects on native people in the Americas,” according to the History.com editors. However,  the history and its controversies still holds true today, and therefore, remains an issue in  society as a whole. Columbus day is a holiday celebrated by many people who remain blind and unaware of the actions that took place by Christopher Columbus  himself, thereby the holiday today has its secrets in the eyes of those who remain unaware of these facts– facts that oftentimes are not taught to us at a young age, leading us to believe that Christopher Columbus was a great man.