It will always be “Columbus Day” on “Columbus Day!” (Matt Walsh)
“The explorer Christopher Columbus made four trips across the Atlantic Ocean from Spain: in 1492, 1493, 1498 and 1502. He was determined to find a direct water route west from Europe to Asia. But he never did. Instead, he stumbled upon the Americas. Though he did not “discover” the so-called New World (millions of native peoples already lived there) his journeys marked the beginning of centuries of exploration and colonization of North and South America.
“Christopher Columbus has long been exalted as a heroic figure in American history: he was the first explorer to establish a European presence in the New World. Americans have celebrated his arrival as far back as 1792, the 300th anniversary of his landing. But it would take almost 200 more years—and a century-long campaign by Italian Americans—to establish a federal holiday in his name.
“Early Italian immigrants, facing intense discrimination, had good reason to embrace the Genoa-born seafarer. Putting an Italian face on the hero of America’s origin story gave them a powerful symbol of their own Americanness, while the Columbus Day holiday gave them a national platform to bask in his reflective glow and celebrate their heritage. But as modern historians began to spotlight the brutal side of the explorer’s legacy—especially relative to native communities—calls to abolish Columbus Day have transformed the annual celebration of Italian pride into a flashpoint of controversy.”
(The above three paragraphs/information were extracted from the writings ofHistory.com Editors.)
Please Note: Matt Walsh’s video above provides a convincing argument of why “Columbus Day” should remain as a valued, important and inspiring American Holiday!