Today in the US it is Columbus Day!! A Federal holiday observed by the Post Offices, and government buildings on both federal and state, and federal levels, and the banks, will be closed on this day. Back to normal on Tuesday. Columbus Day commemorates the first arrival of Christopher Columbus to the New World in 1492, which began to be recognized in the newly-formed United States when the Society of St. Tammany in New York City organized a celebration in 1792, commemorating the 300th anniversary of Columbuss landing. Beginning in 1866, recognizing the first arrival in the New World as also involving the first Italian, the date of 12 October was chosen to annually celebrate Italian-American heritage. The celebration growing more popular every year, by the events 400th anniversary in 1892, President Harrison was inspired by an enthusiastic public to issue a proclamation urging all Americans to mark the day. Promoted nationally by the Knights of Columbus to declare 12 October a legal holiday, it was through efforts in Colorado enacting the day into state law in 1907, soon followed by New York state in 1909 (with a parade that included crews of two Italian ships, several Italian-American societies, and legions of the Knights of Columbus). By 1934, President Franklin Roosevelt signed the new Federal holiday into law, officially designating 12 October as Columbus Day. It was the Uniform Monday Holiday Act in 1971 that moved the official recognition date of Columbus Day to the second Monday in October, where it remains.
Posted on: Mon, 13 Oct 2014 04:20:34 +0000
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