President Joe Biden issued a proclamation to recognize Oct. 14 as Columbus Day in honor of Christopher Columbus, the 15th-century explorer and navigator from the Republic of Genoa (now part of the modern day Italy) who is celebrated for his discovery of the western hemisphere on Oct. 12, 1492.
“In commemoration of Christopher Columbus’ historic voyage 532 years ago, the Congress, by joint resolution of April 30, 1934, and modified in 1968…as amended, has requested the President proclaim the second Monday of October of each year as ‘Columbus Day,’” Biden’s proclamation read.
“Now, therefore, I, Joseph R. Biden Jr., President of the United States of America, do hereby proclaim October 14, 2024, as Columbus Day,” Biden declared.
Biden’s proclamation took considerable time in acknowledging the cultural and historical legacies of the country’s Italians and Italian American families who migrated to this country after leaving everything behind to “sail across an ocean and chase the American Dream for the hope of a brighter future.”
“I believe we are the only Nation in the world with a heart and soul that draws from old and new,” Biden said. “For some Italian American families, the stories they share about their ancestors’ lives in this country stretch back generations. They are stories about immigrants who left everything behind to sail across an ocean and chase the American Dream for the hope of a brighter future. They are stories about ancestors who helped build this country and found America’s middle class — and their traditions and recipes still bring joy to their families today. They are stories of Italian American artists, laborers, lawmakers, and leaders who never gave up on the idea of America.”
The president categorized Columbus’s voyage as a source of pride for Italian Americans and noted their contributions to the nation as important.
“And for many Italian Americans, the story of Christopher Columbus’ voyage crossing the Atlantic from the Spanish port of Palos de la Frontera on behalf of Queen Isabella I and King Ferdinand II remains a source of pride,” Biden said. “But no matter if their families arrived here centuries ago or only recently, Italian Americans’ courage, strength, and character are woven into the rich tapestry of our country.”
Biden also briefly mentioned the “xenophobic attack” against Italian Americans that was the impetus for the Columbus Day holiday, which was first established by President Benjamin Harrison in 1892. And while Biden mentioned the incident that “took the lives of 11 Italian Americans the year before,” he didn’t provide any additional details, only saying that Italian Americans persisted “in the face of hate.”
“For many Italian Americans, the lives of their ancestors in this country were not always easy,” read the proclamation. “In addition to the challenges of starting life in a new land, they also faced discrimination. Columbus Day was founded by President Benjamin Harrison in 1892 in response to the horrific, xenophobic attack that took the lives of 11 Italian Americans the year before. In the face of hate, Italian Americans persisted — advancing our Nation and challenging us to live up to our highest values.”
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The incident Biden referred to, the one that President Harrison responded to in 1892, was the lynching of 11 Italian Americans by an angry New Orleans mob on March 14, 1891. These murders were one of the largest mass lynchings in American history.
“Today, may we honor the history and heritage of Italian Americans and all that they have done to help realize the full promise of America for generations,” Biden said.