Columbus Day commemorates Christopher Columbus’s landing in the Americas on October 12, 1492.  Perhaps less well-known is that its establishment was directly tied to the persecution of Italian Americans. In 1891, a mob in New Orleans lynched eleven (11) Italian immigrants who were falsely accused of murder. This massacre highlighted the discrimination faced by Italian Americans at the time.

In response to the 1891 lynching, Italian American communities sought to promote a sense of pride and solidarity. The celebration of Columbus, an Italian explorer, became a way to assert their identity and counteract negative stereotypes.  President Benjamin Harrison created the first official Columbus Day celebration in 1892, marking the 400th anniversary of Columbus’s landing.  President Franklin Delano Roosevelt made Columbus Day a national holiday in 1937. This historic context underscores the holiday’s special importance to the Italian American community.

In Springfield, the Italian American community has celebrated this day for many years.  On October 12, 1920, more than 1,000 Italians parading through downtown Springfield in celebration of Columbus Day.  In addition to its philanthropic and charitable work, the Roman Cultural Society of Central Illinois, has hosted a Columbus Day banquet each year since its founding.

We recognize the growing awareness of the impacts of colonization on indigenous people, their histories, and cultures and are sensitive to their experience.  Yet, we believe the principles upon which Columbus Day was founded remain relevant.  Specifically, we believe that Columbus Day helps foster a sense of community, is a celebration of Americanism, and it emphasizes exploration and expansion as fundamental themes in American history.  Moreover, we view Columbus Day as a celebration of Italian American heritage and the contribution of our people to the American experience.