Columbus Day

In 1492
he sailed the ocean blue

That was only helpful for me in recalling the date that Columbus sailed to our neck of the woods, but I bought the myth of the great Columbus hook, line and sinker.

At some point in my teaching career I found this book by Jane Yolen titled Encounter. I read it to my class every year on Columbus Day. I wanted to dispel all the color-in worksheets of a ship and Columbus reaching his hand out to natives in kindness. The book doesn't touch the horrible atrocities of Columbus, but it does begin to make him out to be the human he was.

You can view the book trailer here on YouTube.

Here are also some other sites that are really informative.

An easy to read historical summary.

Seattle says Goodbye to Columbus Day.

Here's a great video explanation on CBS.

What I learned is that The Knights of Columbus pushed for Columbus to be a national hero, a federal holiday in 1930. They were promoting the positive, "discovery" part of Columbus's life and not the dark side. (And gosh, is it a coincidence they share the name?)Which, in all our defense, was not as well researched then. However I still believe I could have learned some better truths about Columbus in my childhood and not have waited until I was an adult.

Ah well, such is the story of my life. Always learning things a little too late.