Hey my friends,
It is a beautiful morning today.
I was watering my plants in the garden and it was wonderful being with Mother Nature.
You know, our country has many holidays and traditions.
After all, we Americans of different races and cultures came together to live a life of freedom here. (Or at least our ancestors did)
We have Christmas, Halloween, Independence Day, Thanksgiving, Chinese New Year and so on.
But what about Columbus Day?
Why do we celebrate it?
Is it because Christopher Columbus has a huge fan following until he made his own holiday? (Maybe haha)
Well, you are half right.
Columbus Day officially celebrates the anniversary of Christopher Columbus's arrival in the Americas on October 12, 1492.
Yes, it has been hundreds of years since the founding of America.
One can imagine the hundreds of events that has shaped our country today.
Thinking about it fascinates me so much sometimes.
However, there is another meaning to this day.
Did you know that for the 400th anniversary in 1892, following a lynching in New Orleans where a mob had murdered 11 Italian immigrants?
President Benjamin Harrison then declared Columbus Day as a one-time national celebration.
The proclamation was part of a wider effort after the lynching incident to placate Italian Americans and ease diplomatic tensions with Italy.
Ok, I did not intend for this email to be a boring history lesson. (Please don’t unsubscribe now)
But I think it is important for us Americans to stay in touch with our culture and learn more about our history when we chance upon it. (which you will not if I did not share with you about this)
Also, did you know some states do not recognize it and have each replaced it with celebrations of Indigenous People's Day? (Pretty cool right)
Ok, enough history for today.
Jenny
