Columbus Day is no longer merely a day for parades, sales, and days off. It is filled with controversy. Some want to celebrate Indigenous Peoples’ Day instead to honor Native Americans. Columbus discovered America, but had a dark side, including the mistreatment of Native Americans and allegations of governmental mismanagement. Columbus Day arose for patriotic reasons, ethnic pride, and to address international conflicts. The best approach is to study history, including the life and times of Columbus, with open eyes.
Columbus Discovers America
In fourteen hundred ninety-two
Columbus sailed the ocean blue.
Christopher Columbus discovered America (it was not yet called that) on October 12, 1492.
He did. Columbus was obviously not the first to arrive. The discovery is somewhat akin to a baby discovering the world. It is fantastic for the baby. Others, however, experienced things first.
Native Americans have lived in the Americas for over ten thousand years. He was also not the first European to reach America. Vikings landed in present-day Canada centuries before. To be fair, the Vikings never permanently settled there. Their discovery was largely forgotten.
Columbus landed in the West Indies in the Caribbean. He never reached the United States. He thought, until his dying day, that he had reached India (naming the inhabitants “Indians”).
The discovery of America was a historical event of great importance. It led to the colonization of America. It was also horrible in many ways for the indigenous peoples. More on that later.
Columbus Day
The 300th anniversary of his landing was celebrated in New York City in 1792 by the Society of St. Tammany, or the Columbian Order, which had been founded to promote patriotism and the principles of democracy. The United States was sometimes called “Columbia.”
Columbus was from Genoa, Italy. Italian-Americans began to celebrate his achievements in the 19th Century. The first national celebration of Columbus Day (1892) had political overtones.
A jury in 1891 acquitted six Italian immigrants who were accused of murdering a police chief. Mob violence erupted, leading to an invasion of the prison and lynchings.
It became an international incident, requiring financial restitution. President Benjamin Harrison encouraged Congress to announce a one-off holiday on October 21, 1892, to honor the 400th anniversary of Columbus’s landing in America. He honored the “patriotic duties of American citizenship.” Columbus Day not only honors Italians. It was a day to celebrate America.
Italians immigrated to the United States in large numbers in the late 19th and early 20th Centuries. They were often discriminated against. Columbus celebrations, including Columbus statues, were used to show how Italian-Americans were part of the story of America.
Is Criticism of Columbus A Bad Thing?
Some people are upset when “critical race theory” or “woke” history is used to criticize historical events and those many believe are heroes and heroines. History should, however, tell the full story. The complete story provides some ugly details about Columbus.
We should not ignore these aspects of his life. We should look at the full story, placing Christopher Columbus in historical context. Then, we can decide what to celebrate.
The study of history includes looking at our past with open eyes.
The Dark Side of Columbus
Columbus mistakenly thought he was going to reach India. Some were wary about his proposal to Spain because current knowledge of the size of the earth made his attempt to reach India dangerous. He was lucky that America was there.
Columbus was not alone in thinking the world was round. He still bravely sailed into the unknown and discovered America. Columbus had mixed motives, but his bravery remains.
One tragic result of European contact was that Native Americans were decimated by disease. Columbus did not know this would happen. It is largely unfair to blame him, tragic as it is.
Columbus was part of the colonization of the New World. He supported enslaving the “Indians,” cruelly treating them, including in a search for gold. Columbus argued he had a special role to spread Christianity. Native Americans were heathens and not equal to white Christians.
Bartolomé de las Casas, a Spanish priest, knew Columbus and made a copy of his journal. Casas denounced the cruelty of his people’s treatment of Native Americans.
Columbus became the governor of the lands he discovered. Accusations of mismanagement and cruelty to Spanish colonists led to him being brought back to Spain in chains. The king stripped Columbus of his position, though he allowed him to sail on another voyage back to the West Indies. Columbus died a few years later. He died still thinking he had arrived in India.
Should We Celebrate Columbus Day?
Christopher Columbus was a product of his times. What should we celebrate in our own times? Some things, including allegations of mismanagement, could be placed in his hands alone.
Columbus Day celebrates an event. It also celebrates a man, including his Italian heritage. Perhaps, there are better Italians to celebrate. We can also use Columbus Day to remember the complete history of Columbus, warts and all. A holiday can have multiple purposes.
Some argue that we can celebrate people, even if they are flawed. George Washington and Thomas Jefferson, for instance, owned slaves. We still honor them in many ways.
We celebrate Washington’s Birthday. We also celebrate Presidents’ Day. Maybe that is better?
Indigenous Peoples’ Day
Indigenous Peoples’ Day was first suggested by Native American activists in the 1970s. The first celebration was in 1992 as a protest of the 500th anniversary of Columbus’s landing.
President Biden was the first president to officially honor Indigenous Peoples’ Day. It celebrates Native Americans’ history and culture and the challenges they continue to face.
Some might want to celebrate both days to understand the complete story. Holidays can have different meanings, including remembering the dark side. What do you say? Should we?