Today's classroom discussions about Christopher Columbus have left behind the hero-heralding trope I remember from grade school. They've shifted, allowing for a more accurate, more complicated, and certainly less rosy portrayal of Columbus and his impact on North America and its peoples. Some of them may even delve into why it's a good thing Columbus's ship didn't land in 2010 Arizona.
Today, we reflect on the myriad contributions tribal communities have made to our Nation and the world, and we remember the tremendous suffering they endured as this land changed.
But for many, it's not enough to reference the critical impact on indigenous peoples. Should Columbus Day be one of only 10 federal holidays? Not everyone thinks so.
Yet there are other lessons lurking in Columbus Day, and a chance for reflection on what our evolving relationship with the day says about us as a nation today. It's worth bearing in mind that the pride on display in today’s march down Fifth Avenue comes only as a response to the anti-immigrant fervor Italian Americans faced for so long, as well as the anti-Catholic discrimination that once shaped the laws of our land.
