Columbus Day Highlights Explorer’s ‘Legacy of Faith,’ Trump Says
President Donald Trump renewed the focus of Columbus Day, to be celebrated on the second Monday of October, reclaiming the explorer’s “extraordinary legacy of faith, courage, perseverance, and virtue,”
According to the president’s proclamation, the day is meant to observe the explorer's achievements.
“extraordinary legacy of faith, courage, perseverance, and virtue”
- Since 1971, the second Monday in October has been federally recognized as Columbus Day.
- The day commemorates Columbus’ discovery of the Americas in 1492.
- It also celebrates Italian-American heritage and acknowledges the 1891 lynchings of 11 Italian Americans.
In 2021, former President Joe Biden issued the first presidential proclamation of Indigenous Peoples’ Day to be observed on the same day, following backlash toward Columbus.
Author's summary: Trump renews focus on Columbus Day to honor the explorer's legacy.