Friday, October 9, 2020

Christopher Columbus: hero or villain?

 Should we celebrate Christopher Columbus Day?

Cristoforo Colombo or Cristóbal Colón and in English; Christopher Columbus is no longer a hero in the United States. As the first European after the Vikings to discover the Americas, Columbus is now often considered to be a person who unleashed disease and warfare on American Indians. On the other hand for many centuries, Europeans and especially Italian Americans have considered him to be a hero and the discoverer of, what is for them, the New World. In Latin American countries and in some parts of the United States, Columbus Day is known as Dia de la Raza; Day of the Race, which commemorates the founding of the Hispanic or Latino identity, which is both Indigenous and European-Spanish. "But it’s more than just Columbus Day, it’s also referred to as Día de la Raza. This day celebrates the influence of Hispanic heritage, the birth of the Hispanic people of the New World and the evolution of ethnic and cultural presence during the first real contact and interaction between Europe and the New World. The term La Raza was developed to reflect not purity but the mixture inherent in the Hispanic people." (Latino Lubbock: Columbus Day is also referred as Dia de La Raza) So was Columbus a murderer, the founder of the Hispanic and Latino identity or a European hero?  Perhaps he was all of these things at once? In any case have a good holiday weekend and see the articles for more info on Columbus:

No parade on Columbus Day amid pandemic concerns and controversy over explorer’s legacy

Columbus Day? Indigenous Peoples Day? What is Monday’s holiday all about?

Question: How should we commemorate Columbus Day?




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