Instead of writing a short story this month, I’ve decided to write about preserving history. Whether it’s local or national history, your personal history, or your family history, accuracy is important.
I grew up being told that Christopher Columbus discovered America. On Columbus Day we drew pictures of the Nina, Pinta, and Santa Maria. He was the spunky sailor with a dream who convinced Queen Isabella of Spain to give him three ships to sail to the Far East in 1492.
Imagine my surprise when I learned that Leif Erickson and Norse explorers landed in North America around 1,000 A.D. and created settlements in Newfoundland, Canada. Columbus never set foot on North American soil. He landed somewhere in the Bahamas, captured and enslaved Indigenous people, and maimed or killed anyone who opposed him. He and his crew brought diseases from the Old World which killed thousands of Indigenous peoples. They also brought diseases from the New World home with them. He never completely admitted that he failed to reach his true destination. Columbus was not the nice guy in the funny hat on the bulletin board of my elementary school.
It’s important to note that Columbus’ expeditions ushered in a period of exploration that brought the Americas into the European sphere of influence. The exchange of plants, animals, precious metals and gemstones, cultures, and people changed the world forever.
There are still many Americans who insist Christopher Columbus was a hero and should be celebrated. Myths die hard when the facts aren’t convenient or pretty.