What is the purpose of Columbus Day?

Columbus Day is a day dedicated to celebrating the landing of Christopher Columbus in what was back then the “New World” on October 12, 1492.

The day also celebrates the cultural heritage of Italian Americans, since many intellectuals believe that Columbus was born in Genoa, Italy.

The day has been an annual public holiday in the US since 1937. Although it was at first celebrated on October 12, the day was moved to the second Monday in October to give workers a longer holiday weekend.

Italian migrants were the first to observe Columbus Day as a celebration of their heritage in 1866 in New York.

As per the US Census, there are over 18 million Americans of Italian descent in the US, making them the fourth-largest ancestry group.

The holiday continues to invoke discussions about the age of exploration and the transformations it provoked, including the injustices committed to the indigenous communities.

Congress and President Franklin D Roosevelt made Columbus Day, on October 12, a national holiday in 1937, mainly due to the persistent lobbying by the Knights of Columbus, a Catholic charitable and fraternal organization.

Later, the day was shifted to the second Monday in October in 1971.

New York, Boston, Chicago, San Francisco, and Denver are some of the cities that organize festive Columbus Day/Italian heritage parades and celebrations with colorful costumes, music, and Italian food.

Columbus made a daring voyage and set sail with 90 men in August 1492 on three vessels — Santa Maria, the Niña and the Pinta.

After sailing westward for five weeks in search of a new route to Asia and India, the expedition reached an island which is now a part of the British Bahamas on October 12.