Columbus has long been revered as the hero who discovered America, but his reputation has fallen hard due to recent historical opinions that have challenged his legacy. Columbus’s reputation has been damaged so much that many even suggest the removal of Columbus Day altogether. However, the true image of Columbus is much more complicated than that of merely hero or villain. Though the events represented by Columbus Day are far from positive, Columbus Day should not be abolished — it should be solemnly observed as a day of significance but not celebrated as a holiday.
Perhaps the most compelling support for Columbus Day is its historical significance. Columbus Day marks the instance that Columbus first made contact with the Americas, sparking the beginning of many interactions between the New World and the Old World that still affect the world today. His travels are “woven deeply into the fabric of European and global history” (Bergreen 303). Columbus’s landing heralded the arrival of Western civilization and technology in the Americas, the beginnings of what would eventually become the United States of America (Berliner 3). In addition, Columbus’s journey marked the start of his eponymic trade exchange. The results of the Columbian Exchange vary wildly, from the introduction of tomatoes to Europe to the existence of African Americans through the slave trade, all of which have had major effects on the world today (Weatherford 291). While it is true that Columbus was not the first European to actually discover the Americas, the ones who came before him, the Vikings, had little impact on history (Weatherford 290). Columbus's landing was a “momentous, world-changing occasion” that has “rarely happened in human history” (Connell 6). Some may say that Columbus’s journeys have no consequence to the United States because he never once set foot in North America, but without the influence of the Europeans in the New World, which was brought about by Columbus’s voyages, the United States would surely have been different from the one known today.
In addition to its tremendous historical significance, Columbus Day should be observed due to its cultural significance. Columbus Day is of great cultural significance because it represents the first large-scale cultural interaction between the New World and the Old World. Columbus’s landing represents the “first encounter that brought together the original Americans and the future ones” (Connell 4). These first interactions between Native Americans and the Europeans set the tone for around another two hundred years of European/Native American relations, which, unfortunately, happened to be “attitudes typical of the European sailing captains and merchants . . . in the 15th century” (Connell 6). Such attitudes were ones of greed and evangelism, which led to massive mistreatment of indigenous peoples. Some would say that these cultural interactions of European exploitation should just be forgotten, but the opposite, remembering and accepting the tragedy, is even more important. It is better to pay tribute to the events that transpired, even if they are tragedies, rather than forget they happened entirely. It is crucial to remember what happened as a result of Columbus’s journey, regardless of whether those effects were negative or positive. Especially in a country as diverse as the United States, an event with such cultural significance must be commemorated. Columbus Day serves as a reminder of how far the United States has come, from exploitation of indigenous peoples to a nation filled with hundreds of different peoples and cultures.
Although Columbus Day should be kept, it should not be celebrated as a holiday due to its explicitly violent and cruel origins. Not only did hundreds of thousands of Taino die directly due to Columbus's voyage, millions of Native Americans of nearly every tribe died as an eventual result of Columbus's landing. Almost all of the Taino people, around 300,000 in total, were killed by Columbus, his crew, or the legacy that followed in his wake (Weatherford 291). The Spanish also heavily mistreated and abused the Taino, submitting them to “‘the harshest and most iniquitous and most brutal slavery that man has devised for his fellow men’” (Bergreen 301, quoting Las Casas). After Columbus’s arrival, “The Requierimiento” was written and issued. “The Requierimiento” was a document detailing the requirement of indigenous people to plainly convert to Christianity or be destroyed (Robbins 285). Columbus’s legacy clearly appears to be one of death and cruelty, and some may claim that is reason enough to abolish Columbus Day completely. However, such events, instead of being ignored, should be solemnly acknowledged and observed on Columbus Day, similar to other days of remembrance, such as 9/11 or Memorial Day. Wilma Mankiller puts it best when she states, “But to hide it [history of genocide], or pretend it [history of genocide] doesn’t exist, is not a good idea”.
Columbus Day may be a day that seemingly commemorates the life and accomplishments of a foolish man that brought about the death of millions, but his voyage to the New World represents more than just that. It represents the beginning of a new page in history and cultural interaction. Columbus Day should be somberly observed but not celebrated because of the magnitude of his historic journey to the New World and its legacy. Columbus's story represents many things, but most of all, it represents the spirit of humanity. From his foolishness and daring in even attempting the voyage, his greed and exploitation of the innocent, to his innovation and change of the world, Columbus's voyage shows every side, dark and light, of humanity, of our own selves, and that is truly what must be remembered.