My paternal great grandparents were Italian immigrants who joined the growing Italian colony in Krebs, Oklahoma to work the coal mines in eastern Oklahoma. The Italians in Krebs are very proud of their Italian heritage, and I imagine they’re waving a lot of green, white and red today.
My paternal grandmother was also descended from the initial band of Choctaw Indians who walked from Mississippi to Indian Territory on the “trail of tears and death” in 1831. An astonishing 20% of those who left Mississippi perished on their way to Oklahoma. These Americans were themselves survivors of the massive depopulation of the American continents that occurred due to disease after Columbus sailed the ocean blue.
It’s indisputable that Columbus Day marks a watershed in human history. Perhaps because of my mixed heritage, I don’t feel strongly one way or the other on observation of the day; Columbus Day celebrations don’t bother me at all, but neither am I terribly upset at efforts to de-emphasize Columbus’s landing on San Salvador or rebranding of this day into Dia de la Raza.
Cyclelicious exists to discover other New Worlds, a voyage to explore ways to encourage more people to travel under their own power and, hopefully, learn to get along a little better with one another. I deviate from this mission (sometimes a lot), so I depend on you to keep me on track. I appreciate you all and thank you for sticking around and for all of your input.
See also:
- Angelo Luigi Colombo
- Today in history…
- The only kosher charity ride in the West
- Monkey Electric Alleycat detours
