Praise for Columbus!

In 1493 Columbus was granted this Coat of Arms for his successful voyage by the Spanish Sovereigns

People near and far are celebrating the anniversary of Christopher Columbus' landing in the Americas, specifically the Bahamas, on 12 October 1492. The sailing ship Pinta and its 90 crew members sighted land in the early morning light following a ten week journey from Spain under the sponsorship of Catholic monarchs Queen Isabella and King Ferdinand II. Columbus' long maritime career earned him the title of Admiral of the Ocean Sea, and he held firm to the belief that he had arrived in Asia via this westward route to riches.

The holiday of this journey and discovery is celebrated as Columbus Day in the United States and in the Americas as Dia de la Raza. 1934 marked its first national recognition in the US, despite the fact that it was unofficially celebrated in many countries in the Americas since 1792 - the commemoration of the 300th Anniversary of Columbus' landing in the 'new' world. It was popularized as a holiday in the US through the lobbying efforts of a first generation Italian- American, Angelo Noce, in Denver CO, 1906. Since that time, many Italian- Americans associate this holiday with a celebration of their heritage. President Franklin Delano Roosevelt made it a federal holiday in 1934; always commemorated on the second Monday in October.