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127-541: The 'Italian American One Voice Coalition' was founded by Dr. Manny Alfano, and consists of thousands of activists across the country. [Source needed.] The mission of the Italian American One Voice Coalition is to protect the rightful representation of Italian Americans in American society and all other peoples whose heritage is damaged by unacceptable and worn out ethnic stereotyping in media, politics,

254-635: A federal holiday in the United States , which officially celebrates the anniversary of Christopher Columbus 's arrival in the Americas . He went ashore at Guanahaní , an island in the Bahamas , on October 12, 1492 [OS]. On his return in 1493, he moved his coastal base of operations 70 miles east to the island of Hispaniola , what is now the Dominican Republic and established the settlement of La Isabela ,

381-428: A bad light. It also actively recruits members who are ready and willing to raise awareness of instances of Italian American bias and discrimination. The Italian American One Voice Coalition has also created the first-ever nationwide "rapid response" network of defenders who respond quickly to instances of Italian American bias and stereotyping through emails, letters, phone calls and through social media. In recent years,

508-517: A belief they would be loyal to Italy and not America in World War II; in 1942, Franklin Roosevelt had the removal of the designation of Italian Americans as "enemy aliens" announced on Columbus Day along with a plan to offer citizenship to 200,000 elderly Italians living in the United States who had been unable to acquire citizenship due to a literacy requirement, but the implementation of the announcement

635-530: A brilliant mariner, exploited and enslaved the indigenous population. Spelman College historian Howard Zinn described some of the details in his book, A People's History of the United States , of how Columbus personally ordered the enslavement and mutilation of the native Arawak people in a bid to repay his investors. Journalist and media critic Norman Solomon reflects, in Columbus Day: A Clash of Myth and History , that many people choose to hold on to

762-421: A celebration of the native races and cultures and their resistance to the arrival of Europeans in the Americas. In the United States, Día de la Raza has served as a time of mobilization for panethnic Latino activists, particularly since the 1960s. Since then, La Raza has served as a periodic rallying cry for Hispanic activists. The first Hispanic March on Washington occurred on Columbus Day in 1996. The name

889-476: A city holiday in 2018. Various tribal governments in Oklahoma designate the day as Native American Day, or name it after their own tribe. In 2017, the city council of Akron, Ohio , became split along racial lines with the decision to replace Columbus Day with Indigenous Peoples' Day, creating pushback from the city's Italian-American community. In 2018, a compromise was reached, with the city council voting to name

1016-652: A disaffected faction of the PLP to form a new party, the Free National Movement (FNM), a centre-right party which aimed to counter the growing power of Pindling's PLP. The United Kingdom Government gave the Bahamas its independence by an Order in Council dated 20 June 1973. The Order came into force on 10 July 1973, on which date Prince Charles delivered the official documents to Prime Minister Lynden Pindling . This date

1143-565: A local name of unclear meaning. First attested on the c. 1523 Turin Map, Bahama originally referred to Grand Bahama alone but was used inclusively in English by 1670. Toponymist Isaac Taylor argues that the name was derived from Bimani ( Bimini ), which Spaniards in Haiti identified with Palombe , a legendary place where John Mandeville 's Travels said there was a fountain of youth . The Bahamas

1270-448: A national holiday. In 1987 the name was changed again to Fiesta Nacional and October 12 became one of two national celebrations, along with Constitution Day on December 6, as part of a compromise between conservatives, who wanted to emphasize the status of the monarchy and Spain's history, and Republicans, who wanted to commemorate Spain's burgeoning democracy with an official holiday. Since 2000, October 12 has also been Spain's Day of

1397-456: A patriot and leader in the struggle for independence who had indigenous ancestors. Colombia , whose name originated from Columbus himself, celebrates El día de la Raza y de la Hispanidad (meaning "Day of the Race and Hispanicity"), and is taken as an opportunity to celebrate the encounter of "the two worlds" and to reflect on the richness that the racial diversity has brought to the culture. In 2021

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1524-510: A political force in the capital. European Americans were outnumbered by the African-American slaves they brought with them, and ethnic Europeans remained a minority in the territory. The Slave Trade Act 1807 abolished slave trading to British possessions, including the Bahamas. The United Kingdom pressured other slave-trading countries to also abolish slave-trading, and gave the Royal Navy

1651-470: A positive event and who never adopted mechanisms to enhance human rights". The holiday is no longer celebrated officially. In Mexico, the date was known as Columbus Day or Day of the Race. On December 18, 2020, by decree of President Andrés Manuel López Obrador , the name of October 12 was changed to "Day of the Pluricultural Nation". The statue of Columbus along Mexico City's Paseo de la Reforma

1778-701: A regular email newsletter. '"The Alfano Digest”' is delivered to more than five thousand people and Italian American organizations nationwide. It is published by ONE VOICE founder and Chair, Manny Alfano. The Digest issues alerts on instances of bias, stereotyping, discrimination and defamation and activates a network of Italian American ONE VOICE "defenders" who respond with calls, emails, faxes, letters and demonstrations when necessary. The Digest also contains interesting and informative Italian American cultural and heritage news and information. Some of ONE VOICE's successes have included having companies such as Ally Financial , Muller Insurance and various car dealerships across

1905-588: A specific racial/ethnic group or sexual minority , (week) = week-long holidays, (month) = month-long holidays, (36) = Title 36 Observances and Ceremonies The Bahamas The Bahamas ( / b ə ˈ h ɑː m ə z / bə- HAH -məz ), officially the Commonwealth of The Bahamas , is an island country within the Lucayan Archipelago of the Atlantic Ocean . It contains 97% of

2032-481: A total land area of 10,010 km (3,860 sq mi). Nassau , capital city of the Bahamas, lies on the island of New Providence ; the other main inhabited islands are Grand Bahama , Eleuthera , Cat Island , Rum Cay , Long Island , San Salvador Island , Ragged Island , Acklins , Crooked Island , Exuma , Berry Islands , Mayaguana , the Bimini islands, Great Abaco and Great Inagua . The largest island

2159-496: Is Andros . All the islands are low and flat, with ridges that usually rise no more than 15 to 20 m (49 to 66 ft). The highest point in the country is Mount Alvernia (formerly Como Hill) on Cat Island at 64 m (210 ft). The country contains three terrestrial ecoregions: Bahamian dry forests , Bahamian pine mosaic , and Bahamian mangroves . It had a 2019 Forest Landscape Integrity Index mean score of 7.35/10, ranking it 44th globally out of 172 countries. In

2286-517: Is Nassau on the island of New Providence . The Royal Bahamas Defence Force describes the Bahamas' territory as encompassing 470,000 km (180,000 sq mi) of ocean space. The Bahama islands were inhabited by the Arawak and Lucayans , a branch of the Arawakan - speaking Taíno , for many centuries. Christopher Columbus was the first European to see the islands, making his first landfall in

2413-557: Is derived from the Lucayan name Bahama ('large upper middle island'), used by the Indigenous Taíno people for the island of Grand Bahama . Tourist guides often state that the name comes from the Spanish baja mar ('shallow sea'). Wolfgang Ahrens of York University argues that this is a folk etymology . Alternatively, Bahama may have been derived from Guanahaní ,

2540-944: Is not an official holiday. Iowa and Nevada do not celebrate Columbus Day as an official holiday, but the states' respective governors are "authorized and requested" by statute to proclaim the day each year. Several states have removed the day as a paid holiday for state government workers, while maintaining it either as a day of recognition, or as a legal holiday for other purposes, including California and Texas. The practice of U.S. cities eschewing Columbus Day to celebrate Indigenous Peoples' Day began in 1992 with Berkeley, California . The list of cities that have followed suit as of 2018 includes Austin , Boise , Cincinnati , Denver , Los Angeles , Mankato , Philadelphia , Portland , San Francisco , Santa Fe , Seattle , Saint Paul , Phoenix , Tacoma , and "dozens of others". Columbus, Ohio , has chosen to honor veterans instead of Christopher Columbus, and removed Columbus Day as

2667-527: Is now celebrated as the country's Independence Day . It joined the Commonwealth of Nations on the same day. Sir Milo Butler was appointed the first governor-general of the Bahamas (the official representative of Queen Elizabeth II ) shortly after independence. Shortly after independence, the Bahamas joined the International Monetary Fund and the World Bank on 22 August 1973, and later

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2794-526: Is one of only two countries whose official names start with the article "the"—the other being The Gambia . The usage likely arose because the name also refers to the islands, a geographical feature that would take a definite article. The first inhabitants of the Bahamas were the Taíno people, who moved into the uninhabited southern islands from Hispaniola and Cuba around the 800s–1000s AD, having migrated there from mainland South America ; they came to be known as

2921-751: Is part of the Lucayan Archipelago , which continues into the Turks and Caicos Islands, the Mouchoir Bank , the Silver Bank , and the Navidad Bank . The Bahamas Platform, which includes the Bahamas, Southern Florida, Northern Cuba, the Turks and Caicos, and the Blake Plateau , formed about 150 Ma , not long after the formation of the North Atlantic. The 6.4 km (4.0 mi) thick limestones , which predominate in

3048-470: Is the modern-day Bahamas, lies at the northern part of the Greater Antilles region and was believed to have been formed 200 million years ago when they began to separate from the supercontinent Pangaea . The Pleistocene Ice Age around 3 million years ago, had a profound impact on the archipelago's formation. The Bahamas consists of a chain of islands spread out over some 800 km (500 mi) in

3175-552: Is the most widespread. The Bahamas is a parliamentary constitutional monarchy , with King of the Bahamas Charles III as head of state represented locally by a governor-general . Political and legal traditions closely follow those of England and the Westminster system . The Bahamas is a member of the Commonwealth of Nations and shares its head of state with some other Commonwealth realms . The prime minister

3302-650: The Enterprise , which went into Bermuda in 1835; and 38 from the Hermosa , which wrecked off Abaco Island in 1840. The most notable case was that of the Creole in 1841: as a result of a slave revolt on board, the leaders ordered the US brig to Nassau. It was carrying 135 slaves from Virginia destined for sale in New Orleans . The Bahamian officials freed the 128 slaves who chose to stay in

3429-542: The Bimini Road ("pavements of Atlantis"), limestone crust , caves due to the lack of rivers, and sea caves . Several blue holes are aligned along the South Andros Fault line. Tidal flats and tidal creeks are common, but the more impressive drainage patterns are formed by troughs and canyons such as Great Bahama Canyon with the evidence of turbidity currents and turbidite deposition. The stratigraphy of

3556-551: The Carolinas in North America. They rented the islands from the king with rights of trading, tax, appointing governors , and administering the country from their base on New Providence. Piracy and attacks from hostile foreign powers were a constant threat. In 1684, Spanish corsair Juan de Alcon raided the capital Charles Town (later renamed Nassau ), and in 1703, a joint Franco-Spanish expedition briefly occupied Nassau during

3683-450: The Columbian exchange . The landing is celebrated as Columbus Day in the United States, but the name varies internationally. In some Latin American countries, October 12 is known as Día de la Raza or "Day of the Race". This was the case for Mexico , until it renamed it to "Day of the Pluricultural Nation" (still called Dia de la Raza locally). Some countries such as Spain refer to

3810-515: The Confederate States . The early decades of the 20th century were ones of hardship for many Bahamians, characterised by a stagnant economy and widespread poverty. Many eked out a living via subsistence agriculture or fishing. In August 1940, the Duke of Windsor (formerly King Edward VIII) was appointed Governor of the Bahamas . He arrived in the colony with his wife . Although disheartened at

3937-564: The Cretaceous period, and perhaps as early as the Jurassic ; today the total thickness under the Great Bahama Bank is over 4.5 kilometres (2.8 miles). As the limestone was deposited in shallow water, the only way to explain this massive column is to estimate that the entire platform has subsided under its own weight at a rate of roughly 3.6 centimetres (2 inches) per 1,000 years. The Bahamas

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4064-641: The Eleutheran Adventurers , settled on the island of Eleuthera . The Bahamas became a British crown colony in 1718, when the British clamped down on piracy . After the American Revolutionary War , the Crown resettled thousands of American Loyalists to the Bahamas; they took enslaved people with them and established plantations on land grants. Enslaved Africans and their descendants constituted

4191-638: The Gulf Stream . This resulted in the drowning of the Blake Plateau, the separation of the Bahamas from Cuba and Florida, the separation of the southeastern Bahamas into separate banks, the creation of the Cay Sal Bank , plus the Little and Great Bahama Banks . Sedimentation from the "carbonate factory" of each bank, or atoll , continues today at the rate of about 20 mm (0.79 in) per kyr . Coral reefs form

4318-622: The Italian-American community's annual Columbus Day Parade, which was established by Nicola Larco in 1868, while New York City boasts the largest, with over 35,000 marchers and one million viewers around 2010. As in the mainland United States, Columbus Day is a legal holiday in the U.S. territory of Puerto Rico . In the United States Virgin Islands , the day is celebrated as both Columbus Day and "Puerto Rico Friendship Day". Virginia also celebrates two legal holidays on

4445-628: The Ku Klux Klan and the Women of the Ku Klux Klan , opposed celebrations of Columbus or monuments about him because they thought that it increased Catholic influence in the United States, which was largely a Protestant country. In the summer of 1990, 350 representatives from American Indian groups from all over the hemisphere met in Quito , Ecuador, at the first Intercontinental Gathering of Indigenous People in

4572-504: The Lucayan people . An estimated 30,000 Lucayans inhabited the Bahamas at the time of Christopher Columbus ' arrival in 1492. Columbus' first landfall in what was to Europeans a "New World" was on an island he named San Salvador (known to the Lucayans as Guanahani ). While there is a general consensus that this island lay within the Bahamas, precisely which island Columbus landed on is a matter of scholarly debate. Some researchers believe

4699-634: The New World . His first voyage to the New World was made on the Spanish ships Niña , Pinta , and Santa María and took about three months. The crew's arrival in the New World initiated the colonization of the Americas by Spain, followed in the ensuing centuries by other European powers, as well as the transfer of plants, animals, culture, human populations, and technology between the New and Old Worlds , an event referred to by some late 20th‐century historians as

4826-569: The North Atlantic Ocean to America. The expedition consisted of three Stinson Reliant SR-9s borrowed from the Cuban Air Force – named Santa María , Niña and Pinta after the vessels commanded by Columbus – and a Curtiss Wright CW-19R from the Dominican military aviation named Colon after Columbus. On December 15, after visiting a majority of South America, their flight to

4953-709: The Spanish attacked Nassau during the War of the Quadruple Alliance . In 1729, a local assembly was established giving a degree of self-governance for British settlers. The reforms had been planned by the previous Governor George Phenney and authorised in July 1728. During the American War of Independence in the late 18th century, the islands became a target for US naval forces. Under the command of Commodore Esek Hopkins , US Marines ,

5080-775: The United Bahamian Party (UBP) representing the English-descended Bahamians (known informally as the "Bay Street Boys") and the Progressive Liberal Party (PLP) representing the Black-Bahamian majority. In 1958, the first marine protected area in the Bahamas, the Exuma Cays Land and Sea Park was established. A new constitution granting the Bahamas internal autonomy went into effect on 7 January 1964, with Chief Minister Sir Roland Symonette of

5207-562: The United Nations on 18 September 1973. Politically, the first two decades were dominated by Pindling's PLP, who went on to win a string of electoral victories. Allegations of corruption, links with drug cartels and financial malfeasance within the Bahamian government failed to dent Pindling's popularity. Meanwhile, the economy underwent a dramatic growth period fuelled by the twin pillars of tourism and offshore finance , significantly raising

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5334-545: The War of the Spanish Succession . During proprietary rule, the Bahamas became a haven for pirates , including Blackbeard ( circa 1680–1718). To put an end to the " Pirates' republic " and restore orderly government, Britain made the Bahamas a crown colony in 1718, which they dubbed "the Bahama islands" under the governorship of Woodes Rogers . After a difficult struggle, he succeeded in suppressing piracy. In 1720,

5461-554: The standard of living on the islands. The Bahamas' booming economy led to it becoming a beacon for immigrants, most notably from Haiti . In 1992 , Pindling was unseated by Hubert Ingraham of the FNM. Ingraham went on to win the 1997 Bahamian general election , before being defeated in 2002 , when the PLP returned to power under Perry Christie . Ingraham returned to power from 2007 to 2012, followed by Christie again from 2012 to 2017. With economic growth faltering, Bahamians re-elected

5588-438: The " New World " in 1492 when he landed on the island of San Salvador . Later, the Spanish shipped the native Lucayans to Hispaniola and enslaved them there, after which the Bahama islands were mostly deserted from 1513 until 1648, as nearly all native Bahamians had been forcibly removed for enslavement or had died of diseases which Europeans had brought with them from Europe. In 1649, English colonists from Bermuda , known as

5715-470: The "retaining walls" of these atolls, within which oolites and pellets form. Coral growth was greater through the Tertiary , until the start of the ice ages , and hence those deposits are more abundant below a depth of 36 m (118 ft). In fact, an ancient extinct reef exists half a kilometre seaward of the present one, 30 m (98 ft) below sea level. Oolites form when oceanic water penetrate

5842-477: The 12 of October was declared a one-time national day in commemoration of the 4th centenary of the Discovery of America and the perpetuation of the festivity was then first considered. The Spanish government suggested other nations (Hispanic American countries, Italy and the United States of America) to join the celebration, which was followed with enthusiasm by them, with a few exceptions. The Discovery of America and

5969-646: The 500th anniversary of the discovery of America, the Columbus Lighthouse , in Santo Domingo Este was inaugurated. The monument is both a mausoleum and a museum showcasing objects including a boat from Cuba and Colombian jewelry. Constructed of concrete , the monument is 680 feet (210 m) long. Its architecture is cross-shaped and represents the Christianization of the Americas. According to Dominican authorities, Columbus' remains are sheltered at

6096-656: The Americas"). The day is also commemorated in Italy, as Giornata Nazionale di Cristoforo Colombo or Festa Nazionale di Cristoforo Colombo , and in the Little Italys around the world. The first Columbus Day celebration took place on October 12, 1792, when the Columbian Order of New York, better known as Tammany Hall , held an event to commemorate the 300th anniversary of the historic landing. The Columbus Obelisk in Baltimore

6223-467: The Americas, to mobilize against the 500th anniversary (quin-centennial) celebration of Columbus Day planned for 1992. The following summer, in Davis, California , more than a hundred Native Americans gathered for a follow-up meeting to the Quito conference. They declared October 12, 1992, to be "International Day of Solidarity with Indigenous People ". More recently, mainly since the 1990s, more people oppose Columbus's and other Europeans' actions against

6350-494: The Armed Forces , celebrated each year with a military parade in Madrid . The holiday is widely celebrated in Spain with official and cultural events throughout the country. Shops and businesses are closed as with other bank holidays. The observation is enhanced with the feast day of Our Lady of the Pillar ( Fiestas del Pilar ), the so-called Mother of Hispanidad , and of Our Lady of Guadalupe in Extremadura (Santa María de Guadalupe) (appointed Queen of Hispanicity in 1928 by

6477-430: The Atlantic Ocean, located to the east of Florida in the United States, north of Cuba and Hispaniola and west of the British Overseas Territory of the Turks and Caicos Islands (with which it forms the Lucayan archipelago ). It lies between latitudes 20° and 28°N , and longitudes 72° and 80°W and straddles the Tropic of Cancer . There are some 700 islands and 2,400 cays in total (of which 30 are inhabited) with

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6604-446: The Bahamas forest cover is around 51% of the total land area, equivalent to 509,860 hectares (ha) of forest in 2020, which was unchanged from 1990. In 2020, naturally regenerating forest covered 509,860 hectares (ha) and planted forest covered 0 hectares (ha). Of the naturally regenerating forest 0% was reported to be primary forest (consisting of native tree species with no clearly visible indications of human activity) and around 0% of

6731-405: The Bahamas a warm and winterless climate. As with most tropical climates, seasonal rainfall follows the sun, and summer is the wettest season. There is only a 7 °C (13 °F) difference between the warmest month and coolest month in most of the Bahama islands. Every few decades low temperatures can fall below 10 °C (50 °F) for a few hours when a severe cold outbreak comes down from

6858-405: The Bahamas from Florida. Bahamians were even known to recognise the freedom of enslaved people carried by the ships of other nations which reached the Bahamas. Today Black Bahamians make up 90% of the population of 400,516. The country gained independence from the United Kingdom in 1973, led by Sir Lynden O. Pindling . It shares its monarch with the other Commonwealth realms . The Bahamas has

6985-455: The Bahamas from outside the British West Indies would be manumitted." This led to a total of nearly 300 enslaved people owned by US nationals being freed from 1830 to 1835. The American slave ships Comet and Encomium used in the United States domestic coastwise slave trade , were wrecked off Abaco Island in December 1830 and February 1834, respectively. When wreckers took the masters, passengers and slaves into Nassau, customs officers seized

7112-423: The Bahamas, date back to the Cretaceous . These limestones would have been deposited in shallow seas, assumed to be a stretched and thinned portion of the North American continental crust . Sediments were forming at about the same rate as the crust below was sinking due to the added weight. Thus, the entire area consisted of a large marine plain with some islands. Then, at about 80 Ma, the area became flooded by

7239-510: The Bahamas, including 2,000 from New York and at least 1,033 Europeans, 2,214 African descendants, and a few Native American Creeks from East Florida . Most of the refugees resettled from New York had fled from other colonies, including West Florida , which the Spanish captured during the war. The government granted land to the planters to help compensate for losses on the continent. These Loyalists, who included Deveaux and also Lord Dunmore , established plantations on several islands and became

7366-413: The Costa Rican labor law, the holiday is observed on October 12. Should this date coincide with a Tuesday, Wednesday, Thursday, or Friday, the employer shall agree that said holiday be postponed to the following Monday. In 2020, Costa Ricans eliminated this holiday, which was under debate in years prior. Hence, in exchange Costa Rica now celebrates the 'Military Abolition Day' on December 1. In June 1915,

7493-444: The FNM in 2017, with Hubert Minnis becoming the fourth prime minister. In September 2019, Hurricane Dorian struck the Abaco Islands and Grand Bahama at Category 5 intensity, devastating the northwestern Bahamas. The storm inflicted at least US$ 7 billion in damages and killed more than 50 people, with 1,300 people missing after two weeks. The COVID-19 pandemic reached the Bahamas on 15 March 2020. In September 2021,

7620-412: The Hispanicity has been celebrated as a national day since 1918 under different names like "Día de la Hispanidad" or "Dia de la Raza", due to changes of political regimes in the 20th century. The national day emphasises Spain's ties with the Hispanidad , the international Hispanic community and Spanish legacy to the world. In 1981 a royal decree established the Fiesta Nacional y Día de la Hispanidad as

7747-415: The Lucayan Archipelago's land area and 88% of its population. The archipelagic country consists of more than 3,000 islands, cays , and islets in the Atlantic Ocean, and is located north of Cuba and northwest of the island of Hispaniola (split between the Dominican Republic and Haiti) and the Turks and Caicos Islands , southeast of the U.S. state of Florida and east of the Florida Keys . The capital

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7874-583: The Ministry of Culture changed the name of the holiday to ‘Día de la Diversidad Étnica y Cultural de la Nación Colombiana (meaning "Day of Ethnical and Cultural Diversity of the Colombian nation"). In Peru, it was known as Día del descubrimiento de América ("Day of the discovery of America"). Since 2009, it has been celebrated as Día de los pueblos originarios y el diálogo intercultural (Indigenous Peoples and Intercultural Dialogue Day). Between 1921 and 2002, Venezuela celebrated Día de la Raza along with many other Latin American nations. The original holiday

8001-445: The North American mainland, however there has never been a frost or freeze recorded in the Bahamian Islands. Only once in recorded history has snow been seen in the air anywhere in the Bahamas. This occurred in Freeport on 19 January 1977, when snow mixed with rain was seen in the air for a short time. The Bahamas are often sunny and dry for long periods, and average more than 3,000 hours or 340 days of sunlight annually. Much of

8128-566: The Peruvian capital Lima was hampered by an unexpected sandstorm. Two planes ( Colon and La Pinta ) were forced to land in Pisco and Niña disappeared in the storm. The Santa Maria was the only plane to reach Lima as planned, landing at Las Palmas on the day of the storm. After extensive searches, Niña radioed their whereabouts after their radio was damaged in the storm. The aircraft restrategized in Las Palmas, and on December 29 their expedition took off from El Techo airport in Bogotá en route to El Guabito airport in Cali . Later that day,

8255-456: The Taíno died from smallpox alone. As a result of these depredations the population of the Bahamas was severely diminished. The English had expressed an interest in the Bahamas as early as 1629. However, it was not until 1648 that the first English settlers arrived on the islands. Known as the Eleutherian Adventurers and led by William Sayle , they migrated from Bermuda seeking greater religious freedom. These English Puritans established

8382-403: The UBP becoming the first Premier. In 1967, Lynden Pindling of the PLP became the first black Premier of the Bahamian colony; in 1968, the title of the position was changed to Prime Minister . In 1968, Pindling announced that the Bahamas would seek full independence. A new constitution giving the Bahamas increased control over its own affairs was adopted in 1968. In 1971, the UBP merged with

8509-425: The US Navy occupied Nassau in 1776, before being evacuated a few days later. In 1782 a Spanish fleet appeared off the coast of Nassau, and the city surrendered without a fight . Later, in April 1783, on a visit made by Prince William of the United Kingdom (later to become King William IV ) to Luis de Unzaga at his residence in the Captaincy General of Havana, they made prisoner exchange agreements and also dealt with

8636-423: The United States argued that the United Kingdom should not treat its domestic ships that came to its colonial ports under duress as part of the international trade. The United States worried that the success of the Creole slaves in gaining freedom would encourage more slave revolts on merchant ships. During the American Civil War of the 1860s, the islands briefly prospered as a focus for blockade runners aiding

8763-449: The United States, it has been observed on the second Monday in October, as commemorated by annual Presidential proclamation noting Columbus' achievements. It is generally observed by banks, the bond market , the U.S. Postal Service , other federal agencies, most state government offices, many businesses, and most school districts. Some businesses and some stock exchanges remain open, and some states and municipalities abstain from observing

8890-401: The United States, ranging from large-scale parades and events to complete nonobservance. Most states do not celebrate Columbus Day as an official state holiday. Some mark it as a "Day of Observance" or "Recognition”. Most states that celebrate Columbus Day will close state services, while others operate as normal. San Francisco claims the nation's oldest continuously existing celebration with

9017-404: The Vatican) from Guadalupe , Caceres , whose Monastery was the venue in June 1492 for the decisive meeting between the Catholic Monarchs and Columbus to start organizing the travel and where the latter came back in 1493, right after returning from his first voyage, to thank Her for his success. For years after the first Columbus Day celebration in 1892, opposition to Columbus Day recognized

9144-446: The action of rainwater, called eolianite . Most islands have ridges ranging from 30 to 45 m (98 to 148 ft), though Cat Island has a ridge 60 m (200 ft) in height. The land between ridges is conducive to the formation of lakes and swamps. Solution weathering of the limestone results in a "Bahamian Karst " topography. This includes potholes , blue holes such as Dean's Blue Hole , sinkholes , beachrock such as

9271-417: The arts and elsewhere. Founding Italian American One Voice Coalition President Manny Alfano dedicated himself to defending, promoting and preserving Italian American heritage and culture. He has spoken out against movies like "Don Jon," shows such as "Jersey Shore," various commercials and productions, instances and articles in which Italian Americans are negatively portrayed. He died on June 21, 2022. After

9398-538: The condition of Government House, they "tried to make the best of a bad situation". He did not enjoy the position, and referred to the islands as "a third-class British colony". He opened the small local parliament on 29 October 1940. The couple visited the "Out Islands" that November, on Axel Wenner-Gren 's yacht, which caused controversy; the British Foreign Office strenuously objected because they had been advised by United States intelligence that Wenner-Gren

9525-564: The country remove commercials defaming Italian Americans. ONE VOICE obtained an apology from Chrysler CEO Sergio Marchionne for making an insulting remark about Italians. ONE VOICE has worked to have small businesses remove offensive items to Italian Americans. ONE VOICE also fought to re-instate Columbus Day as a holiday in the Paterson, NJ School District ; successfully lobbied the New Jersey Governor to revoke state tax credits given to

9652-463: The crew flew into an unexpected storm over the Valley of Cauca. With minimal visibility and poor navigation, Niña , La Pinta , and Santa Maria crashed into high mountains, while Colon , unaware of the other aircraft, flew over the storm and safely made it to Panama City. The plane is preserved today as remembrance of the bravery of the crew and Christopher Columbus's journey. In 1992, in remembrance of

9779-509: The day, Columbus Day and Yorktown Victory Day, which honors the final victory at the Siege of Yorktown in the Revolutionary War . Despite Columbus Day being a national holiday and a celebration of Italian heritage, the celebration of Columbus Day in the United States began to decline at the end of the 20th century, although Americans continue to celebrate it. The District of Columbia and

9906-571: The first Monday of October as North American First People's Day while keeping Columbus Day, and in 2020, Columbus Day was renamed Italian-American Heritage and Culture Day. The date Columbus arrived in the Americas is celebrated in some countries of Latin America. The most common name for the celebration in Spanish (including some Latin American communities in the United States) is the Día de la Raza ("day of

10033-582: The first cathedral in the Western Hemisphere. The Day of the Race was established in Argentina in 1916 by a decree of President Hipólito Yrigoyen . The name was changed to "Day of Respect of Cultural Diversity" by a presidential decree in 2010 issued by President Cristina Kirchner . The statue of Columbus was removed from its original position near the Casa Rosada and replaced by one of Juana Azurduy ,

10160-467: The first permanent European settlement on an island which they named Eleuthera , Greek for free . They later settled New Providence , naming it Sayle's Island. Life proved harder than envisaged however, and many – including Sayle – chose to return to Bermuda. To survive, the remaining settlers salvaged goods from wrecks . In 1670, King Charles II granted the islands to the Lords Proprietors of

10287-525: The first permanent Spanish settlement in the Americas. Columbus ( Italian : Cristoforo Colombo [kriˈstɔːforo koˈlombo] ) was an Italian explorer from Genoa who led a Spanish maritime expedition to cross the Atlantic Ocean in search of an alternative route to the Far East . Columbus believed he sailed his crew to the East Indies, but Europeans realized years later that his voyages landed them in

10414-512: The forest area was found within protected areas. For the year 2015, 80% of the forest area was reported to be under public ownership , 20% private ownership and 0% with ownership listed as other or unknown. According to the Köppen climate classification , the climate of the Bahamas is mostly tropical savannah climate or Aw , with a hot and wet season and a warm and dry season. The low latitude, warm tropical Gulf Stream , and low elevation give

10541-716: The fourteenth-largest gross domestic product per capita in the Americas . Its economy is based on tourism and offshore finance. Though the Bahamas is in the Lucayan Archipelago, and not on the Caribbean Sea , it is often considered part of the wider Caribbean region. The Bahamas is a full member of the Caribbean Community (CARICOM) but is not part of the CARICOM Single Market and Economy . The name Bahamas

10668-510: The greatest waves of genocide of the American Indians known in history. A second strain of criticism of Columbus Day focuses on the character of Columbus himself. In time for the 2004 observation of the day, the final volume of a compendium of Columbus-era documents was published by the University of California, Los Angeles ' Medieval and Renaissance Center. It stated that Columbus, while

10795-407: The group has made a focus of its activities opposing efforts to eliminate Columbus Day as a federal holiday, and criticizing what it views as Italian-American slurs in popular culture. The Italian American One Voice Coalition works closely with other major Italian American organizations including UNICO National , NIAF and OSIA and The NJ Italian Heritage Commission [1] . ONE VOICE also issues

10922-495: The holiday as the Day of Hispanicity or Día de la Hispanidad and is also Spain's National Day or Fiesta Nacional de España , where it coincides with the religious festivity of La Virgen del Pilar . Since 2009, Peru has celebrated Día de los pueblos originarios y el diálogo intercultural ("Indigenous Peoples and Intercultural Dialogue Day"). Belize and Uruguay celebrate it as Pan American Day and Día de las Américas ("Day of

11049-688: The holiday. The traditional date of the holiday also adjoins the anniversary of the United States Navy (founded October 13, 1775), and thus both occasions are customarily observed by the Navy and the Marine Corps with either a 72- or 96-hour liberty period. The observance on the second Monday in October means it coincides with the Canadian holiday of Thanksgiving . Actual observance varies in different parts of

11176-613: The indigenous populations of the Americas. This opposition was initially led by Native Americans and was expanded upon by left-wing political parties. Various holidays commemorating Columbus have now been abolished, with various Latin American countries altering the holidays to now recognise indigenous populations. Two surveys, conducted in 2013 and 2015 by Rasmussen Reports , found 26% to 38% of American adults are not in favor of celebrating Columbus Day. A similar survey by Catholic Marist Polls showed 26% opposition There are many interrelated strands of criticism. One refers primarily to

11303-687: The islands consists of the Middle Pleistocene Owl's Hole Formation , overlain by the Late Pleistocene Grotto Beach Formation, and then the Holocene Rice Bay Formation. However, these units are not necessarily stacked on top of each other but can be located laterally. The oldest formation, Owl's Hole, is capped by a terra rosa paleosoil , as is the Grotto Beach, unless eroded . The Grotto Beach Formation

11430-710: The islands for the Crown of Castile , before proceeding to explore the larger isles of the Greater Antilles . The 1494 Treaty of Tordesillas theoretically divided the new territories between the Kingdom of Castile and the Kingdom of Portugal , placing the Bahamas in the Spanish sphere; however they did little to press their claim on the ground. The Spanish did however exploit the native Lucayan peoples, many of whom were enslaved and sent to Hispaniola for use as forced labour. The slaves suffered harsh conditions and most died from contracting diseases to which they had no immunity ; half of

11557-513: The islands. The Creole case has been described as the "most successful slave revolt in U.S. history". These incidents, in which a total of 447 enslaved people belonging to US nationals were freed from 1830 to 1842, increased tension between the United States and the United Kingdom . They had been co-operating in patrols to suppress the international slave trade. However, worried about the stability of its large domestic slave trade and its value,

11684-530: The lighthouse. Spanish authorities proved through DNA tests that remains in the Cathedral of Seville were his and Dominican authorities have not allowed the same, so whether the sets are related remains unknown. Since the 18th century, many Italian communities in the Americas have observed the Discovery of the New World as a celebration of their heritage, despite Italy not existing as a unified country when Columbus

11811-500: The majority of the population from this period on. The slave trade was abolished by the British in 1807. Although slavery in the Bahamas was not abolished until 1834, the Bahamas became a haven of manumission for African slaves, from outside the British West Indies, in 1818. Africans liberated from illegal slave ships were resettled on the islands by the Royal Navy , while some North American slaves and Seminoles escaped to

11938-916: The myths instead of reality in the events surrounding Columbus. He disputes the idea that the Spaniards' arrival was beneficial towards the Indians by quoting History of the Indies by the Catholic priest Bartolomé de las Casas , who observed the region where Columbus was governor. Las Casas writes that the Spaniards were driven by "insatiable greed" as they killed and tortured native populations with "the strangest and most varied new methods of cruelty" and laments that "my eyes have seen these acts so foreign to human nature, and now I tremble as I write". (federal) = federal holidays, (abbreviation) = state/territorial holidays, (religious) = religious holidays, (cultural) = holiday related to

12065-525: The nation and countries of America in Cuba on October 12 commemorating Christopher Columbus's voyage to the New World. Federico Laredo Brú spoke about Columbus's impact on the land and the future of its settlement. He ended his speech with venerating Christopher Columbus's efforts to colonize and establish settlements along the new front and the pride of one's nation. He added " Por mi raza hablo mi espiritu ," which translates to "For my race my spirit called," to support

12192-526: The natural vegetation is tropical scrub and cactus and succulents are common in landscapes. Tropical storms and hurricanes occasionally impact the Bahamas. In 1992, Hurricane Andrew passed over the northern portions of the islands, and Hurricane Floyd passed near the eastern portions of the islands in 1999. Hurricane Dorian of 2019 passed over the archipelago at destructive Category 5 strength with sustained winds of 298 km/h (185 mph) and wind gusts up to 350 km/h (220 mph), becoming

12319-743: The ocean liner SS Cristoforo Colombo . The first celebration of the Discovery of the Américas by Columbus in Spain was as early as 1642 when the city of Zaragoza designated the Virgen del Pilar ( Our Lady of the Pillar ) as symbol of the Hispanidad (Hispanicity) on the date of the Spanish expedition's arrival to the New World. This holiday was declared a religious feast day throughout the Spanish Empire in 1730. In 1892,

12446-463: The official holiday of ' Fiesta de la Raza' was established, with October 12 being the date of the national holiday. Presently, since October 12, 2021, the Legislative Assembly of El Salvador abolished the previous national Fiesta de la Raza holiday, " [to] vindicate the origin and identity of indigenous peoples who were forgotten by previous governments, who for decades celebrated Race Day as

12573-456: The passing of Dr. Emanuele Alfano, Andre' DiMino became President and continues to represent the organization on TV and radio interviews in furtherance of the mission to defend Italian American heritage, culture and civil rights. The Italian American One Voice Coalition stands ready to combat negative Italian American stereotyping through informational meetings, functions and protests against media outlets that continue to portray Italian culture in

12700-606: The people of the United States to observe Columbus Day, in schools and churches, or other suitable places, with appropriate ceremonies that express the public sentiment befitting the anniversary of the discovery of America." President Franklin Delano Roosevelt responded by making such a proclamation. This proclamation did not lead to the modern federal holiday; it was similar to language regarding Thomas Jefferson's birthday and Gold Star Mothers Day. In 1941, Italian Americans were interned and lost rights as " enemy aliens " due to

12827-471: The political infrastructure at the time. In December 1937, Cuban president Federico Laredo Brú and Dominican Republic president Rafael Trujillo ordered a crew of aviators to travel through Latin America collecting funds from large capital cities for a monumental light house in the Dominican Republic. The exploration Escuadrilla Binacional Pro Faro de Colón was inspired by Columbus's journey across

12954-458: The preliminaries of the Treaty of Paris (1783) , in which the recently conquered Bahamas would be exchanged for East Florida , which would still have to conquer the city of St. Augustine, Florida in 1784 by order of Luis de Unzaga; after that, also in 1784, the Bahamas would be declared a British colony. After US independence, the British resettled some 7,300 Loyalists with their African slaves in

13081-564: The producers of MTV 's Jersey Shore ; joined with the Ancient Order of Hibernians to stop cartoonist Thomas Nast from being inducted into the New Jersey Hall of Fame because of his overly ethnic cartoons; and helped to prevent Jersey Shore from filming in Hoboken, NJ . Columbus Day Columbus Day is a national holiday in many countries of the Americas and elsewhere, and

13208-695: The race" or the "day of the [Hispanic] people"), commemorating the first encounters of Europeans and the Native Americans . The day was first celebrated in Argentina in 1917, in Venezuela and Colombia in 1921, in Chile in 1922, and in Mexico, it was first celebrated in 1928. The day was also celebrated under this title in Spain until 1957, when it was changed to the Día de la Hispanidad ("Hispanicity Day"), and in Venezuela, it

13335-559: The right to intercept ships carrying slaves on the high seas. Thousands of Africans liberated from slave ships by the Royal Navy were resettled in the Bahamas. In the 1820s during the period of the Seminole Wars in Florida, hundreds of North American slaves and African Seminoles escaped from Cape Florida to the Bahamas. They settled mostly on northwest Andros Island , where they developed

13462-470: The ruling Free National Movement lost to the opposition Progressive Liberal Party in a snap election , as the economy struggled to recover from its deepest crash since at least 1971. On 17 September 2021, the chairman of the Progressive Liberal Party (PLP) Phillip "Brave" Davis was sworn in as the new Prime Minister of Bahamas to succeed Hubert Minnis. The landmass that makes up what

13589-494: The shallow banks, increasing the temperature about 3 °C (5.4 °F) and the salinity by 0.5 per cent. Cemented ooids are referred to as grapestone. Additionally, giant stromatolites are found off the Exuma Cays . Sea level changes resulted in a drop in sea level, causing wind blown oolite to form sand dunes with distinct cross-bedding . Overlapping dunes form oolitic ridges, which become rapidly lithified through

13716-448: The site to be present-day San Salvador Island (formerly known as Watling's Island), situated in the southeastern Bahamas, whilst an alternative theory holds that Columbus landed to the southeast on Samana Cay , according to calculations made in 1986 by National Geographic writer and editor Joseph Judge , based on Columbus' log. On the landfall island, Columbus made first contact with the Lucayans and exchanged goods with them, claiming

13843-748: The slaves and British colonial officials freed them, over the protests of the Americans. There were 165 slaves on the Comet and 48 on the Encomium . The United Kingdom finally paid an indemnity to the United States in those two cases in 1855, under the Treaty of Claims of 1853, which settled several compensation cases between the two countries. Slavery was abolished in the British Empire on 1 August 1834. After that British colonial officials freed 78 North American slaves from

13970-550: The states of Colorado , Hawaii , Alaska , Vermont , South Dakota , New Mexico , Maine , Minnesota , and parts of California , including, for example, Los Angeles County , do not recognize it and have each replaced it with celebrations of Indigenous Peoples' Day (in Hawaii, "Discoverers' Day", in South Dakota, "Native American Day" ) or other holidays. In the states of Delaware , Oregon and Washington , Columbus Day

14097-577: The statue had stood was renamed in 2008 "Indigenous Resistance Walk". Later, a statue of an indigenous leader, Guaicaipuro , was erected on the plinth. On September 21, 1994, Costa Rica changed the official holiday from Día de la Raza to Día del Encuentro de las Culturas (Day of the Encounter of Cultures) to recognize the mix of European, Native American (autochthonous populations), African and Asian cultures that constitute modern Costa Rican (and Latin American ) culture and ethnicity. In accordance to

14224-491: The strongest tropical cyclone on record to impact the northwestern islands of Grand Bahama and Great Abaco. It was generally believed that the Bahamas were formed approximately 200 million years ago, when Pangaea started to break apart. In current times, it endures as an archipelago containing over 700 islands and cays, fringed around different coral reefs . The limestone that comprises the Banks has been accumulating since at least

14351-573: The suffering inflicted on American Indians with westward expansion. It also originated from anti-immigrant nativist Know Nothing political movement, who sought to eliminate its celebration because of its association with immigrants from the Catholic countries of Ireland and Italy, and the American Catholic fraternal organization, the Knights of Columbus . Some anti-Catholics , notably including

14478-522: The treatment of the indigenous populations during the European colonization of the Americas , which followed Columbus's discovery . Some groups, such as the American Indian Movement , have argued that the ongoing actions and injustices against Native Americans are masked by Columbus myths and celebrations. American anthropologist Jack Weatherford says that on Columbus Day, Americans celebrate

14605-595: The village of Red Bays. From eyewitness accounts, 300 escaped in a mass flight in 1823, aided by Bahamians in 27 sloops , with others using canoes for the journey. This was commemorated in 2004 by a large sign at Bill Baggs Cape Florida State Park . Some of their descendants in Red Bays continue African Seminole traditions in basket making and grave marking. In 1818, the Home Office in London had ruled that "any slave brought to

14732-543: Was a "full-scale riot". Ziegler said that the Duke blamed the trouble on "mischief makers – communists " and "men of Central European Jewish descent, who had secured jobs as a pretext for obtaining a deferment of draft". The Duke resigned from the post on 16 March 1945. Modern political development began after the Second World War . The first political parties were formed in the 1950s, split broadly along ethnic lines, with

14859-655: Was a close friend of the Luftwaffe commander Hermann Göring of Nazi Germany. The Duke was praised at the time for his efforts to combat poverty on the islands. A 1991 biography by Philip Ziegler, however, described him as contemptuous of the Bahamians and other non-European peoples of the Empire. He was praised for his resolution of civil unrest over low wages in Nassau in June 1942, when there

14986-696: Was born, and despite his public renunciation of his Genovese nationality to swear allegiance to the King of Spain . In Italy, Columbus Day has been officially celebrated since 2004. It is officially named Giornata nazionale di Cristoforo Colombo ("National Christopher Columbus Day"). The "Lega Navale Italiana" has created a Regata di Colombo ("Columbus Regatta ") as a celebration of the Columbus achievement. Italians have celebrated Christopher Columbus ( Italian : Cristoforo Colombo [kriˈstɔːforo koˈlombo] ) naming after him many civilian and military ships, like

15113-408: Was celebrated under this title until 2002, when it was changed to the Día de la Resistencia Indígena (Day of Indigenous Resistance). Originally conceived of as a celebration of Hispanic influence in the Americas, as evidenced by the complementary celebrations in Spain and Latin America, Día de la Raza has come to be seen by nationalist activists throughout Latin America as a counter to Columbus Day –

15240-547: Was erected in 1792. Many Italian Americans observe Columbus Day as a celebration of their heritage and not of Columbus himself, and the day was celebrated in New York City on October 12, 1866. The day was first enshrined as a legal holiday in the United States through the lobbying of Angelo Noce, a first-generation American, in Denver. The first statewide holiday was proclaimed by Colorado governor Jesse F. McDonald in 1905, and it

15367-535: Was made a statutory holiday in 1907. (Colorado replaced Columbus Day with Frances Xavier Cabrini Day in 2020, though that holiday is observed a week earlier.) For the 400th anniversary of Christopher Columbus's voyage in 1892, following lynchings in New Orleans , where a mob had murdered 11 Italian immigrants, President Benjamin Harrison declared Columbus Day as a one-time national celebration. The proclamation

15494-670: Was not completed until those interned in camps were released after Italy's surrender to the Allies on September 8, 1943. In 1966, Mariano A. Lucca, from Buffalo, New York , founded the National Columbus Day Committee, which lobbied to make Columbus Day a federal holiday. These efforts were successful and legislation to create Columbus Day as a federal holiday was signed by President Lyndon Johnson on June 28, 1968, to be effective beginning in 1971. Since 1971, when Columbus Day became an officially recognized federal holiday in

15621-598: Was officially established in 1921 under President Juan Vicente Gómez . In 2002, under President Hugo Chávez , the holiday was changed to Día de la Resistencia Indígena (Day of Indigenous Resistance) to commemorate the Indigenous peoples' resistance to European settlement. On October 12, 2004, a crowd of progovernment activists toppled a statue of Christopher Columbus by Rafael de la Cova in Caracas . The activists also sprayed allusive graffiti over its pedestal. The walk where

15748-406: Was part of a wider effort after the lynching incident to placate Italian Americans and ease diplomatic tensions with Italy. During the anniversary in 1892, teachers, preachers, poets, and politicians used rituals to teach ideals of patriotism. These rituals took themes such as citizenship boundaries, the importance of loyalty to the nation, and the celebration of social progress , included among them

15875-475: Was removed and replaced with a replica of The Young Woman of Amajac , a sculpture depicting an Indigenous woman . Only a handful of Caribbean countries observe holidays related to Columbus Day. In Belize, October 12 is celebrated as Day of the Americas or Pan American Day . In the Bahamas , it was formerly known as Discovery Day , until 2001 when it was replaced by National Heroes Day . In 1937, Cuban President Federico Laredo Brú (1936–1940) spoke to

16002-463: Was the Pledge of Allegiance by Francis Bellamy . In 1934, as a result of lobbying by the Knights of Columbus and New York City Italian leader Generoso Pope , Congress passed a statute stating: "The President is requested to issue each year a proclamation (1) designating October 12 as Columbus Day; (2) calling on United States government officials to display the flag of the United States on all government buildings on Columbus Day; and (3) inviting

16129-417: Was used by the largest Hispanic social justice organization in the nation, UnidosUS , which was known as the National Council of La Raza from 1968 to 2017. On October 10, 1992, Pope John Paul II visited the Dominican Republic to celebrate the 500th anniversary of the discovery of the Americas and the arrival of Christianity in the " New World ". His visit ended with a mass in the nation's cathedral ,

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