History of Columbus Day in Timeline

Columbus Day commemorates Christopher Columbus's arrival in the Americas on October 12, 1492. Landing on Guanahaní in the Bahamas, Columbus established contact with indigenous populations. The holiday also marks the beginning of European colonization of the Americas, including the establishment of La Isabela in Hispaniola, the first permanent Spanish settlement.

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Full Timeline Legacy & Impact

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 Statutory Holiday in Colorado

In 1907, Columbus Day was made a statutory holiday in the state of Colorado.

June 1915: Establishment of 'Fiesta de la Raza' in El Salvador

In June 1915, the official holiday of 'Fiesta de la Raza' was established in El Salvador, setting October 12 as the date of the national holiday.

1916: Day of the Race Established in Argentina

In 1916, President Hipólito Yrigoyen established the Day of the Race in Argentina by decree.

1917: Argentina Celebrates "Día de la Raza"

In 1917, Argentina first celebrated Día de la Raza (Day of the Race).

1918: Discovery of America and the Hispanicity celebrated as a national day in Spain

Since 1918, the Discovery of America and the Hispanicity has been celebrated as a national day in Spain under different names like "Día de la Hispanidad" or "Dia de la Raza", due to changes of political regimes in the 20th century.

1921: Venezuela Celebrates Día de la Raza

In 1921, Venezuela officially established and began celebrating Día de la Raza under President Juan Vicente Gómez.

1921: Venezuela and Colombia Celebrate "Día de la Raza"

In 1921, both Venezuela and Colombia began celebrating Día de la Raza (Day of the Race).

1922: Chile Celebrates "Día de la Raza"

In 1922, Chile began celebrating Día de la Raza (Day of the Race).

1928: Mexico Celebrates "Día de la Raza"

In 1928, Mexico began celebrating Día de la Raza (Day of the Race).

1928: Our Lady of Guadalupe appointed Queen of Hispanicity by the Vatican

In 1928, Our Lady of Guadalupe was appointed Queen of Hispanicity by the Vatican

1934: Congress Requests Presidential Proclamation for Columbus Day

In 1934, Congress passed a statute requesting the President to issue a proclamation designating October 12 as Columbus Day.

1936: Federico Laredo Brú becomes president of Cuba

In 1936, Federico Laredo Brú became president of Cuba and served until 1940.

December 1937: Cuban and Dominican aviators travel through Latin America to collect funds for a lighthouse

In December 1937, Cuban president Federico Laredo Brú and Dominican Republic president Rafael Trujillo sent aviators through Latin America to collect funds for a lighthouse, inspired by Columbus's journey. On December 15, two planes (Colon and La Pinta) were forced to land in Pisco and Niña disappeared in the storm. The expedition, consisting of Stinson Reliant SR-9s named Santa María, Niña and Pinta, and a Curtiss Wright CW-19R named Colon encountered a storm, resulting in crashes. On December 29 Niña, La Pinta, and Santa Maria crashed into high mountains, while Colon, unaware of the other aircraft, flew over the storm and safely made it to Panama City.

1937: Cuban President Federico Laredo Brú commemorates Christopher Columbus's voyage

In 1937, Cuban President Federico Laredo Brú commemorated Christopher Columbus's voyage to the New World on October 12. He spoke about Columbus's impact and venerated his efforts to colonize, expressing pride in his nation and its political infrastructure at the time.

1940: Federico Laredo Brú's presidency ends

In 1940, Federico Laredo Brú's presidency ended.

1941: Italian Americans Interned as "Enemy Aliens"

In 1941, approximately 1,881 Italian Americans were interned and lost rights, labeled as "enemy aliens" due to fears of loyalty to Italy 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 designation of Italian Americans as "enemy aliens" and proposed offering citizenship to elderly Italians in the U.S.

September 8, 1943: Release of Italian Americans Following Italy's Surrender

Following Italy's surrender to the Allies on September 8, 1943, the Italian Americans interned in camps were released.

1957: Spain Changes Celebration to "Día de la Hispanidad"

In 1957, Spain changed its 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 in Buffalo, New York, to advocate for making Columbus Day a federal holiday.

June 28, 1968: Columbus Day Established as a Federal Holiday

On June 28, 1968, legislation was signed by President Lyndon Johnson to establish Columbus Day as a federal holiday, effective beginning in 1971.

1968: Founding of the National Council of La Raza

In 1968, the National Council of La Raza, later known as UnidosUS, was founded. The organization was known as the National Council of La Raza from 1968 to 2017.

1971: Columbus Day Officially Observed as Federal Holiday

Beginning in 1971, Columbus Day became an officially recognized federal holiday in the United States, observed on the second Monday in October.

1971: Columbus Day Becomes a Federal Holiday

Since 1971, Columbus Day has been observed as a federal holiday on the second Monday in October in the United States.

1981: Royal decree establishes Fiesta Nacional y Día de la Hispanidad as a national holiday in Spain

In 1981, a royal decree established the Fiesta Nacional y Día de la Hispanidad as a national holiday in Spain.

1987: Name change to Fiesta Nacional and October 12 becoming one of two national celebrations in Spain

In 1987, the name was changed again to Fiesta Nacional, and October 12 became one of two national celebrations, along with Constitution Day on December 6.

1990: First Intercontinental Gathering of Indigenous People in the Americas

In the summer of 1990, 350 representatives from American Indian groups met in Quito, Ecuador, at the first Intercontinental Gathering of Indigenous People in the Americas, to mobilize against the 500th anniversary celebration of Columbus Day planned for 1992.

October 10, 1992: Pope John Paul II Visits Dominican Republic

On October 10, 1992, Pope John Paul II visited the Dominican Republic to celebrate the 500th anniversary of the discovery of the Americas and the arrival of Christianity, concluding with a mass in the nation's cathedral.

October 12, 1992: International Day of Solidarity with Indigenous People

On October 12, 1992, Native Americans declared it as "International Day of Solidarity with Indigenous People" at a follow-up meeting to the Quito conference to mobilize against the 500th anniversary (quin-centennial) celebration of Columbus Day.

1992: Berkeley, California, Initiates Indigenous Peoples' Day

In 1992, Berkeley, California, began eschewing Columbus Day and instead celebrated Indigenous Peoples' Day.

1992: Inauguration of the Columbus Lighthouse in Santo Domingo Este

In 1992, the Columbus Lighthouse was inaugurated in Santo Domingo Este on the 500th anniversary of the discovery of America. This monument serves as both a mausoleum and a museum.

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 took place on Columbus Day in 1996.

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 its holiday from Día de la Raza to Día de la Resistencia Indígena (Day of Indigenous Resistance).

October 12, 2004: Statue of Columbus Toppled in Caracas

On October 12, 2004, a crowd of progovernment activists toppled a statue of Christopher Columbus in Caracas, Venezuela.

2004: Columbus Day officially celebrated in Italy

In 2004, Columbus Day was officially celebrated in Italy and named Giornata nazionale di Cristoforo Colombo (National Christopher Columbus Day).

2004: Publication of Columbus-era documents highlighting exploitation

In 2004, the final volume of a compendium of Columbus-era documents was published, stating that Columbus exploited and enslaved the indigenous population.

2008: Indigenous Resistance Walk Established in Caracas

In 2008, the walk where the Columbus statue had stood was renamed "Indigenous Resistance Walk" and later, a statue of an indigenous leader, Guaicaipuro, was erected on the plinth.

2009: Peru Celebrates Indigenous Peoples and Intercultural Dialogue Day

In 2009, Peru began celebrating Día de los pueblos originarios y el diálogo intercultural, which translates to Indigenous Peoples and Intercultural Dialogue Day, on October 12th.

2010: New York City's Columbus Day Parade Draws One Million Viewers

Around 2010, New York City's Columbus Day Parade boasted over 35,000 marchers and an estimated one million viewers, making it the largest such celebration.

2010: Argentina Renames Holiday and Replaces Columbus Statue

In 2010, Argentina changed the name of the holiday to "Day of Respect of Cultural Diversity" and replaced the Columbus statue with one of Juana Azurduy.

2017: National Council of La Raza Renamed UnidosUS

In 2017, the National Council of La Raza was renamed UnidosUS, which is the largest Hispanic social justice organization in the nation.

2017: Akron City Council Split Over Replacing Columbus Day

In 2017, the city council of Akron, Ohio, became divided along racial lines over the decision to replace Columbus Day with Indigenous Peoples' Day, leading to pushback from the city's Italian-American community.

2018: Numerous Cities Celebrate Indigenous Peoples' Day

As of 2018, numerous cities, including Austin, Boise, Cincinnati, Denver, Los Angeles, Mankato, Philadelphia, Portland, San Francisco, Santa Fe, Seattle, Saint Paul, Phoenix, and Tacoma, had followed Berkeley's lead in celebrating Indigenous Peoples' Day instead of Columbus Day.

2018: Columbus, Ohio, Removes Columbus Day as City Holiday

In 2018, Columbus, Ohio, removed Columbus Day as a city holiday, choosing to honor veterans instead of Christopher Columbus.

2018: Compromise Reached in Akron Regarding Columbus Day and Indigenous Peoples' Day

In 2018, a compromise was reached in Akron, Ohio, where the city council voted to name the first Monday of October as North American First People's Day while keeping Columbus Day.

December 18, 2020: Mexico Renames Columbus Day to Day of the Pluricultural Nation

On December 18, 2020, President Andrés Manuel López Obrador decreed that October 12 be renamed "Day of the Pluricultural Nation" in Mexico. The statue of Columbus was removed and replaced with a replica of The Young Woman of Amajac.

2020: Colorado Replaces Columbus Day with Frances Xavier Cabrini Day

In 2020, Colorado replaced Columbus Day with Frances Xavier Cabrini Day, which is observed a week earlier.

2020: Columbus Day Renamed in Akron as Italian-American Heritage and Culture Day

In 2020, Columbus Day was renamed Italian-American Heritage and Culture Day in Akron, Ohio.

2020: Costa Rica Eliminates Day of the Encounter of Cultures Holiday

In 2020, Costa Rica eliminated the Day of the Encounter of Cultures holiday and now celebrates Military Abolition Day on December 1 in its place.

October 12, 2021: El Salvador Abolishes 'Fiesta de la Raza' Holiday

Since 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: Belize changes Pan American Day to Indigenous Peoples' Resistance Day

In 2021, Belize changed the name of Pan American Day, observed on October 12, to Indigenous Peoples' Resistance Day to move away from its colonial legacy.

2021: Colombia Renames Holiday to Day of Ethnic and Cultural Diversity

In 2021, the Ministry of Culture of Colombia changed the name of the holiday to ‘Día de la Diversidad Étnica y Cultural de la Nación Colombiana (Day of Ethnic and Cultural Diversity of the Colombian nation).