History of Columbus Day in Timeline
Columbus Day commemorates Christopher Columbus's arrival in the Americas on October 12, 1492. He landed on Guanahaní in the Bahamas and later established La Isabela in Hispaniola (present-day Dominican Republic) as the first permanent Spanish settlement. The holiday is observed in various countries, including the United States, where it is a federal holiday. It is dedicated to celebrating the anniversary of this event and Christopher Columbus's exploration.
1905: Colorado Proclaims First Statewide Columbus Day Holiday
In 1905, Colorado Governor Jesse F. McDonald proclaimed the first statewide Columbus Day holiday.
1907: Columbus Day Becomes a Statutory Holiday in Colorado
In 1907, Columbus Day was made a statutory holiday in Colorado.
June 1915: Fiesta de la Raza Established in El Salvador
In June 1915, the official holiday of 'Fiesta de la Raza' was established in El Salvador, with October 12 as the date of the national holiday.
1916: Day of the Race Established in Argentina
In 1916, the Day of the Race was established in Argentina by a decree of President Hipólito Yrigoyen.
1917: Argentina First Celebrates Día de la Raza
In 1917, Argentina first celebrated Día de la Raza ("day of the race"), commemorating the first encounters of Europeans and Native Americans.
1918: National Day Celebration Begins in Spain
Since 1918, the Discovery of America and the Hispanicity has been celebrated as a national day in Spain under various names, emphasizing Spain's ties with the Hispanic community and its global legacy.
1921: Venezuela Celebrates Día de la Raza
Between 1921 and 2002, Venezuela celebrated Día de la Raza, established under President Juan Vicente Gómez.
1922: Chile First Celebrates Día de la Raza
In 1922, Chile first celebrated Día de la Raza ("day of the race"), commemorating the first encounters of Europeans and Native Americans.
1928: Mexico First Celebrates Día de la Raza
In 1928, Mexico first celebrated Día de la Raza ("day of the race"), commemorating the first encounters of Europeans and Native Americans.
1928: Our Lady of Guadalupe Appointed Queen of Hispanicity
In 1928, the Vatican appointed Our Lady of Guadalupe as Queen of Hispanicity. Her Monastery was the venue in June 1492 for the meeting between the Catholic Monarchs and Columbus to start organizing the travel.
1934: Congress Requests Presidential Proclamation for Columbus Day
In 1934, Congress requested the President to issue an annual proclamation designating October 12 as Columbus Day and encouraging its observance.
December 1937: Latin American Flight Exploration
In December 1937, Cuban and Dominican Republic presidents commissioned a flight across Latin America to raise funds for a lighthouse, inspired by Columbus's voyage. The expedition faced a sandstorm on December 15, leading to crashes and one plane safely reaching Panama City. This event commemorates Columbus's journey and the crew's bravery.
1937: Cuban President Federico Laredo Brú Commemorates Columbus
In 1937, Cuban President Federico Laredo Brú commemorated Christopher Columbus's voyage to the New World, praising Columbus's impact.
1941: Italian Americans Interned as "Enemy Aliens"
In 1941, approximately 1,881 Italian Americans were interned and lost rights due to concerns about their loyalty during World War II.
1942: Roosevelt Announces Removal of "Enemy Alien" Designation for Italian Americans
On Columbus Day in 1942, President Franklin Roosevelt announced the removal of the "enemy alien" designation for Italian Americans and a plan to offer citizenship to elderly Italians.
September 8, 1943: Interned Italian Americans Released After Italy's Surrender
Following Italy's surrender to the Allies on September 8, 1943, Italian Americans interned in camps were released.
1957: Spain Changes Celebration to Día de la Hispanidad
In 1957, Spain changed the name of the celebration from Día de la Raza to Día de la Hispanidad ("Hispanicity Day").
1966: National Columbus Day Committee Founded
In 1966, Mariano A. Lucca founded the National Columbus Day Committee to lobby for making Columbus Day a federal holiday.
June 28, 1968: Columbus Day Established as a Federal Holiday
On June 28, 1968, President Lyndon Johnson signed legislation creating Columbus Day as a federal holiday, effective in 1971.
1968: National Council of La Raza Founded
In 1968, the National Council of La Raza, later known as UnidosUS, was founded, becoming the largest Hispanic social justice organization in the nation.
1971: Columbus Day Officially Becomes a Federal Holiday
In 1971, Columbus Day officially became a recognized federal holiday in the United States.
1981: Royal Decree Establishes Fiesta Nacional y Día de la Hispanidad
In 1981, a royal decree formally established the Fiesta Nacional y Día de la Hispanidad as a national holiday in Spain, solidifying the celebration of Spanish heritage and its connection to the Hispanic world.
1987: Name Change to Fiesta Nacional
In 1987, the name of the holiday was changed to Fiesta Nacional. October 12 became one of two national celebrations, representing a compromise between those emphasizing monarchy and history and those celebrating Spain's democracy.
1990: Intercontinental Gathering of Indigenous People
In the summer of 1990, indigenous representatives met in Quito, Ecuador, at the first Intercontinental Gathering of Indigenous People in the Americas to mobilize against the quin-centennial celebration of Columbus Day planned for 1992.
October 10, 1992: Pope John Paul II Visits Dominican Republic for 500th Anniversary
On October 10, 1992, Pope John Paul II visited the Dominican Republic to commemorate the 500th anniversary of the discovery of the Americas and the arrival of Christianity.
October 12, 1992: International Day of Solidarity with Indigenous People
On October 12, 1992, Native American groups declared it "International Day of Solidarity with Indigenous People" as a form of protest against the Columbus Day celebrations.
1992: Berkeley, California, First Celebrates Indigenous Peoples' Day
In 1992, Berkeley, California, began eschewing Columbus Day to celebrate Indigenous Peoples' Day.
1992: Inauguration of the Columbus Lighthouse
In 1992, the Columbus Lighthouse in Santo Domingo Este was inaugurated to commemorate the 500th anniversary of the discovery of America. The monument serves as both a mausoleum and a museum, displaying artifacts related to Columbus. The location of Columbus' remains remain disputed.
September 21, 1994: Costa Rica Changes Holiday to Day of the Encounter of Cultures
On September 21, 1994, Costa Rica changed the official holiday from Día de la Raza to Día del Encuentro de las Culturas (Day of the Encounter of Cultures).
1996: First Hispanic March on Washington
The first Hispanic March on Washington occurred on Columbus Day in 1996, serving as a time of mobilization for panethnic Latino activists.
2000: Spain's Day of the Armed Forces
Since 2000, October 12 has also been Spain's Day of the Armed Forces, celebrated annually with a military parade in Madrid, enhancing the national holiday with military significance.
2001: Bahamas Replaces Discovery Day with National Heroes Day
In 2001, the Bahamas replaced Discovery Day with National Heroes Day.
2002: Venezuela Changes Holiday to Día de la Resistencia Indígena
In 2002, Venezuela changed the name of the holiday from Día de la Raza to Día de la Resistencia Indígena (Day of Indigenous Resistance).
October 12, 2004: Statue of Christopher Columbus Toppled in Caracas
On October 12, 2004, a statue of Christopher Columbus was toppled in Caracas by progovernment activists.
2004: Publication of Columbus-Era Documents
In 2004, the final volume of Columbus-era documents was published, stating that Columbus exploited and enslaved the indigenous population, intensifying criticism of his character.
2004: Columbus Day Officially Celebrated in Italy
Since 2004, Columbus Day, officially named Giornata nazionale di Cristoforo Colombo, has been celebrated in Italy. This acknowledges Columbus's Genoese origins and Italian heritage.
2008: "Indigenous Resistance Walk" Created in Caracas
In 2008, the walk where the statue of Christopher Columbus had stood in Caracas was renamed "Indigenous Resistance Walk".
2009: Peru Celebrates Indigenous Peoples and Intercultural Dialogue Day
In 2009, Peru began celebrating Día de los pueblos originarios y el diálogo intercultural, also known as Indigenous Peoples and Intercultural Dialogue Day, instead of Columbus Day.
2010: New York City's Columbus Day Parade Boasts Largest Celebration
Around 2010, New York City's Columbus Day Parade featured over 35,000 marchers and one million viewers, marking it as the largest celebration.
2010: Argentina Renames Holiday and Removes Columbus Statue
In 2010, Argentina renamed the holiday to "Day of Respect of Cultural Diversity" and replaced the statue of Columbus with one of Juana Azurduy.
2017: Akron City Council Split Over Replacing Columbus Day
In 2017, Akron, Ohio's city council was divided along racial lines over the decision to replace Columbus Day with Indigenous Peoples' Day, creating conflict with the city's Italian-American community.
2017: National Council of La Raza Renamed UnidosUS
In 2017, the National Council of La Raza was renamed UnidosUS.
2018: Increasing Number of Cities Celebrate Indigenous Peoples' Day
As of 2018, numerous cities, including Austin, Boise, Cincinnati, Denver, Los Angeles, and others, have followed Berkeley's lead in celebrating Indigenous Peoples' Day instead of Columbus Day.
2018: Akron Reaches Compromise with North American First People's Day
In 2018, Akron, Ohio, reached a compromise by naming the first Monday of October as North American First People's Day while keeping Columbus Day.
2018: Columbus, Ohio, Removes Columbus Day as a City Holiday
In 2018, Columbus, Ohio, removed Columbus Day as a city holiday, choosing to honor veterans instead.
December 18, 2020: Mexico Changes October 12 to Day of the Pluricultural Nation
On December 18, 2020, Mexico changed the name of October 12 to "Day of the Pluricultural Nation" by decree of President Andrés Manuel López Obrador.
2020: Colorado Replaces Columbus Day with Frances Xavier Cabrini Day
In 2020, Colorado replaced Columbus Day with Frances Xavier Cabrini Day, observed a week earlier.
2020: Columbus Day Renamed Italian-American Heritage and Culture Day in Akron
In 2020, Columbus Day in Akron, Ohio, was renamed Italian-American Heritage and Culture Day.
2020: Costa Rica Eliminates Day of the Encounter of Cultures
In 2020, Costa Rica eliminated the Día del Encuentro de las Culturas (Day of the Encounter of Cultures) holiday, opting to celebrate 'Military Abolition Day' instead.
October 12, 2021: El Salvador Abolishes Fiesta de la Raza
On October 12, 2021, the Legislative Assembly of El Salvador abolished the previous national Fiesta de la Raza holiday to vindicate the origin and identity of indigenous peoples.
2021: Colombia Renames Holiday to Day of Ethnical and Cultural Diversity
In 2021, the Ministry of Culture in Colombia changed the name of the holiday to ‘Día de la Diversidad Étnica y Cultural de la Nación Colombiana (Day of Ethnical and Cultural Diversity of the Colombian nation).
