On October 12th, 1492, three Spanish ships, under the leadership of Italian navigator Christopher Columbus, landed on an island in what is today the Bahamas Islands. Since 1892, the second Monday in October has been celebrated in honor of the event. The Day also serves to commemorate the achievements of Italian Americans.
The discovery of the American continents was a world-changing event. It initiated the Colombian Exchange, a vast, global exchange of foods, animals, plants, and peoples that transformed the world. Crucially, new world plants such as potatoes and maize were soon growing in fields around the world and augmenting the global food supply. It is no coincidence that world population increased more than four times since 1492, doubling between 1650 and 1850.
But not everyone was happy to celebrate Columbus’ voyage of discovery, as it was followed by an influx of European conquerors and colonizers who enslaved the native people. They forced them to convert to Christianity and introduced diseases to which the native people had no immunity.
So, while today many people celebrate Columbus Day on that second Monday in October, 26 States and numerous cities and organizations around the country hold a counter-celebration: Indigenous Peoples’ Day.
It's why on this day, President Joe Biden annually issues two proclamations: one for Columbus Day, and a second for Indigenous Peoples’ Day.
“For many Italian Americans, the story of Christopher Columbus’ voyage … remains a source of pride,” President Biden writes in the first statement. “It reflects the stories of trips across the Atlantic that so many Italian Americans grew up hearing at the dinner table, … stories of people leaving everything they knew and loved behind for the promise of opportunity in the United States.”
In the second, he wrote, “The story of America’s Indigenous peoples is a story of their resilience and survival; of their persistent commitment to their right to self-governance; and of their determination to preserve cultures, identities, and ways of life. … Today, Indigenous peoples are a beacon of resilience, strength, and perseverance as well as a source of incredible contributions.”
“America was founded on an idea: that we are all created equal, endowed by our creator with certain inalienable rights, and deserve to be treated equally throughout our lives. Though we have never fully lived up to that idea, our aspirations have never let us walk away from it either.”
