| What Is Columbus Day?
By Thomas J.S. Shannon
On that fateful morning of October 2, 1492, Christopher Columbus and
his three ships, the Nina, Pinta, the Santa Maria landed in the present-day
Bahamas. Christening this new land, San Salvador, Columbus paved the
way for the exploration and colonization of North America. Today, he
is considered a hero by many Americans for “discovering”
America. But that is what is taught in schools. What is not taught is
that Leif Erikson landed on North America in 1000 A.D. What is not taught
is Columbus’s thirst for wealth that led to the slaughter of countless
indigenous people. Textbooks do not mention the many cruelties and diseases
brought to the Americas by Europeans. John Mohawk, a Seneca Indian activist
and author, said he saw Christopher Columbus as a symbol, “…of
imperialism”. In an effort not to honor this man many consider
a murderer, many celebrate instead Día De La Raza (or day of
the race), where people celebrate the creation of a new Mestizo race,
its culture, and its identity.
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