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Establish Italian Heritage Day; a day of celebration for Italian-Americans, who, over the course of generations, have built a nationwide cultural community.
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Remove the name given to what is effectively Italian Heritage Day, Columbus Day, in 1892 after the mass lynching of 11 Italians in New Orleans.
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In cities & states that have removed or replaced Columbus Day, recognize Italian Heritage Day as its own, new & separate cultural holiday.
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Present the petition to politicians, especially Italian-Americans in office, to achieve recognition.
Mission
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Establish Italian Heritage Day; a day of celebration for Italian-Americans, who, over the course of generations, have built a nationwide cultural community.
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Remove the name given to what is effectively Italian Heritage Day, Columbus Day, in 1892 after the mass lynching of 11 Italians in New Orleans.
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In cities & states that have removed or replaced Columbus Day, recognize Italian Heritage Day as its own, new & separate cultural holiday.
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Present the petition to politicians, especially Italian-Americans in office, to achieve recognition.
photo: NIAF
photo: Alinari Archives
Why?
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The Italian-American community is rich and multifaceted. One man does not embody it.
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Columbus Day is, at times, defended as an Italian heritage day. It should instead be recognized as just that, Italian Heritage Day.
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Columbus Day will inevitably be done-away with throughout the country, within the decade. Italian Heritage Day should be recognized for current & future generations, in solidarity with, and support of Indigenous Peoples' Day.
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Christopher Columbus was a historical figure who sailed for Spain, with a goal of arriving in Asia. He never set foot in modern-day United States. He committed & oversaw atrocities against the indigenous people of the Caribbean, and was arrested & removed from his post by the Spanish crown.
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The Italian-American community is rich and multifaceted. One man does not embody it.
-
Columbus Day is, at times, defended as an Italian heritage day. It should instead be recognized as just that, Italian Heritage Day.
-
Columbus Day will inevitably be done-away with throughout the country, within the decade. Italian Heritage Day should be recognized for current & future generations, in solidarity with, and support of, Indigenous Peoples' Day.
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Christopher Columbus was a historical figure who sailed for Spain, with the goal of arriving in Asia. He never set foot in modern-day United States. He committed & oversaw atrocities against the indigenous people of the Caribbean, and was arrested & removed from his post by the Spanish crown.
Our own history in this country is all-at-once vibrant and dark, triumphant and repressed, joyous and dejected. So we celebrate our parents, our nonno and nonna, our zio and zia, and those before them. We celebrate those who brought with them a specific ambition, as well as those who came empty-handed; those without an ‘American Dream’ in mind, merely searching for sustenance beyond the lives they had, in the lands they knew. We celebrate the great many achievements of Italian-Americans, and the many more to come. We celebrate tradition, family, art, sport, cuisine, community and culture. We, the vast majority of Italian-Americans today, along with an American public that has embraced Italian culture and will be proud to festeggiare with us, are ready to celebrate Italian Heritage Day.
Our own history in this country is all-at-once vibrant and dark, triumphant and repressed, joyous and dejected. So we celebrate our parents, our nonno and nonna, our zio and zia, and those before them. We celebrate those who brought with them a specific ambition, as well as those who came empty-handed; those without an ‘American Dream’ in mind, merely searching for sustenance beyond the lives they had, in the lands they knew. We celebrate the great many achievements of Italian-Americans, and the many more to come. We celebrate tradition, family, art, sport, cuisine, community and culture. We, the vast majority of Italian-Americans today, along with an American public that has embraced Italian culture and will be proud to festeggiare with us, are ready to celebrate Italian Heritage Day.
Ultimately, Christopher Columbus shares no relation to the modern Italian-American community. Upon arrival in the U.S., 19th & early 20th-century Italian immigrants were persecuted. In efforts to gain acceptance, we embraced the American mythological tales of Columbus as a hero. Today, we are the 5th largest ethnic group in the U.S., and Italian culture is beloved in the American story - on its own, without Columbus. Considering the long list of incredible Italians and Italian-Americans throughout history, we know proudly that we do not require him to uphold our rich culture.
The minority conflict for preserving his celebratory day unnecessarily pits the entire Italian-American community against the general public and the Native American community, and promotes Italian-American culture in a negative light. There is no movement to detract from Italian-American culture, and negative views on Christopher Columbus need not be perceived as attacks on Italian heritage. Resistance to this change does a disservice to the complex history of Italian-Americans, and Christopher Columbus himself, forcing controversy rather than the open, in-depth learning that these histories should receive.
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Supporters
we are proud to be joined in this movement by
Indigenous Peoples'
Day Planning Committee
Community Action Organization
Rochester, NY
Dante Palminteri
Singer/Songwriter
Actor:
Sharknado, Law & Order SVU
from Westchester, NY
Milan Club NYC
Sports Organization
New York, NY
Juventus Club LA
Sports Organization
Los Angeles, CA
