Columbus Day Meaning

Columbus day is observed on the second monday of october.

Columbus day meaning. That anyone can be an american. A renaming of the day would be well warranted. Columbus day synonyms columbus day pronunciation columbus day translation english dictionary definition of columbus day. Columbus day is a national holiday in many countries of the americas and elsewhere which officially celebrates the anniversary of christopher columbus s arrival in the americas on october 12 1492 julian calendar.

While columbus day is a federal government holiday meaning all federal offices are closed not all states grant it as a day off from work. Most businesses remain open and retail stores may run special sales. Columbus day s position as a federal holiday meaning most banks are closed and federal government workers get a paid break stands. It is celebrated across the united states on the second monday in october and is an official city and state holiday in various localities.

Though columbus day is one of the 10 u s. It would have been october 21 1492 on the gregorian proleptic calendar which extends the gregorian calendar to dates prior to its adoption in 1582. This holiday is controversial because the european settlement in the americas led to the demise of the history and culture of the indigenous peoples. Columbus day which is on the second monday of october remembers christopher columbus arrival to the americas on october 12 1492.

It is somewhat ironic then that many of those most troubled by the celebration of columbus day berkeley for instance renamed it indigenous people s day in the 1990s are perhaps most likely to embrace its true meaning. Legal federal holidays it is not considered a major one. This is not a defense of columbus. Columbus day definition is october 12 formerly observed as a legal holiday in many states of the u s.

But the latest moves add even more variety to how local and. It began as a counter celebration held on the same day as the u s. Federal holiday of columbus day which honors italian. Columbus day s meaning for italian americans joseph sciorra of queens college tells npr s scott simon why some italian americans have an emotional connection to columbus day.

October 12 observed in the united states in commemoration of the landing by christopher columbus in 1492 in america. It is a federal reserve bank holiday so while banks may open some transactions will not be processed.