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| Columbus Statue - New Haven, CT. |
Let the historical record show:
Christopher Columbus was the first Italian American. We say this not in jest- but in all seriousness. Not only was Columbus one
of the most dominating sailors in the age of exploration- but he was
also a unifying symbol for newly arrived Italian immigrants to
America.
We all know that Columbus Day has
become a surrogate for an Italian pride parade. However, not much is
written as to why that occurred. The fact is, Columbus was viewed by
early Italian immigrants to be a unifying symbol between Italy and
America- and between Italians and America.
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| NYC Columbus Day Parade 2011 |
He was handpicked by early Italian
organizations to be the face of the Italian community. But why him?
Certainly there were other important Italians to elevate (Garibaldi,
Amerigo Vespucci, etc). However, they all settled on Columbus.
The reason is simple: Columbus was seen
to embody the virtues and character of the newly arrived Italian
immigrant. Parallels can be easily seen when one notes that like
Italian immigrants to America in the late 19th century,
Columbus had also risked it all. He had picked up- in direct defiance
of all that customary at the time, and set sail for uncharted
territory. He set a course for lands unknown- much like the Italian
immigrant.
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| NYC Columbus Day Parade 2011 |
The Italian immigrant also acted in
defiance of what was customary of the time. For the first time in the
history of man, a massive exodus of an entire country occurred. To date, no other single ethnicity has experienced the exodus that Italy experienced at the turn of the 20th century. Moreover, it
looks like no other ever will. The motivation and determination of
the Italian immigrant to find something better beyond his shores is
undeniable- and that same spirit was evident in the journey of
Columbus.
Make no mistake, Columbus Day is not
simply an Italian celebration. It is a celebration of unity between
Italy and America and a recognition of the spirit that drove Italians
(from Columbus to the present day) to settle in America. The holiday
is just as much American as it is Italian.
Of course, the holiday is under attack for myriad reasons. One wonders just how much longer the holiday will last. Will it be around long enough for this child to go with his children? As we've written in the past- the answer seems to be, "No."
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| NYC Columbus Day Parade 2011 |
But, until it is erased from the history books- enjoy and remember the moxie it took for Columbus to get here. It is a celebration not only of America- but of the spirit that lives on in each and every Italian American.
ItalianAware-Home
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