[Federal Register Volume 85, Number 201 (Friday, October 16, 2020)]
[Presidential Documents]
[Pages 65637-65638]
From the Federal Register Online via the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]
[FR Doc No: 2020-23107]


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  Federal Register / Vol. 85, No. 201 / Friday, October 16, 2020 / 
Presidential Documents  

[[Page 65637]]


                Proclamation 10100 of October 9, 2020

                
Columbus Day, 2020

                By the President of the United States of America

                A Proclamation

                More than 500 years ago, Christopher Columbus's 
                intrepid voyage to the New World ushered in a new era 
                of exploration and discovery. His travels led to 
                European contact with the Americas and, a century 
                later, the first settlements on the shores of the 
                modern day United States. Today, we celebrate Columbus 
                Day to commemorate the great Italian who opened a new 
                chapter in world history and to appreciate his enduring 
                significance to the Western Hemisphere.

                When Christopher Columbus and his crew sailed across 
                the Atlantic Ocean on the Ni[ntilde]a, Pinta, and Santa 
                Mar[iacute]a it marked the beginning of a new era in 
                human history. For Italian Americans, Christopher 
                Columbus represents one of the first of many 
                immeasurable contributions of Italy to American 
                history. As a native of Genoa, Columbus inspired early 
                immigrants to carry forth their rich Italian heritage 
                to the New World. Today, the United States benefits 
                from the warmth and generosity of nearly 17 million 
                Italian Americans, whose love of family and country 
                strengthen the fabric of our Nation. For our beautiful 
                Italian American communities--and Americans of every 
                background--Columbus remains a legendary figure.

                Sadly, in recent years, radical activists have sought 
                to undermine Christopher Columbus's legacy. These 
                extremists seek to replace discussion of his vast 
                contributions with talk of failings, his discoveries 
                with atrocities, and his achievements with 
                transgressions. Rather than learn from our history, 
                this radical ideology and its adherents seek to revise 
                it, deprive it of any splendor, and mark it as 
                inherently sinister. They seek to squash any dissent 
                from their orthodoxy. We must not give in to these 
                tactics or consent to such a bleak view of our history. 
                We must teach future generations about our storied 
                heritage, starting with the protection of monuments to 
                our intrepid heroes like Columbus. This June, I signed 
                an Executive Order to ensure that any person or group 
                destroying or vandalizing a Federal monument, memorial, 
                or statue is prosecuted to the fullest extent of the 
                law.

                I have also taken steps to ensure that we preserve our 
                Nation's history and promote patriotic education. In 
                July, I signed another Executive Order to build and 
                rebuild monuments to iconic American figures in a 
                National Garden of American Heroes. In September, I 
                announced the creation of the 1776 Commission, which 
                will encourage our educators to teach our children 
                about the miracle of American history and honor our 
                founding. In addition, last month I signed an Executive 
                Order to root out the teaching of racially divisive 
                concepts from the Federal workplace, many of which are 
                grounded in the same type of revisionist history that 
                is trying to erase Christopher Columbus from our 
                national heritage. Together, we must safeguard our 
                history and stop this new wave of iconoclasm by 
                standing against those who spread hate and division.

                On this Columbus Day, we embrace the same optimism that 
                led Christopher Columbus to discover the New World. We 
                inherit that optimism, along with the legacy of 
                American heroes who blazed the trails, settled a 
                continent, tamed the wilderness, and built the single-
                greatest nation the world has ever seen.

[[Page 65638]]

                In commemoration of Christopher Columbus's historic 
                voyage, the Congress, by joint resolution of April 30, 
                1934, modified in 1968 (36 U.S.C. 107), has requested 
                the President proclaim the second Monday of October of 
                each year as ``Columbus Day''

                NOW, THEREFORE, I, DONALD J. TRUMP, President of the 
                United States of America, by virtue of the authority 
                vested in me by the Constitution and the laws of the 
                United States, do hereby proclaim October 12, 2020, as 
                Columbus Day. I call upon the people of the United 
                States to observe this day with appropriate ceremonies 
                and activities. I also direct that the flag of the 
                United States be displayed on all public buildings on 
                the appointed day in honor of our diverse history and 
                all who have contributed to shaping this Nation.

                IN WITNESS WHEREOF, I have hereunto set my hand this 
                ninth day of October, in the year of our Lord two 
                thousand twenty, and of the Independence of the United 
                States of America the two hundred and forty-fifth.
                
                
                    (Presidential Sig.)

[FR Doc. 2020-23107
Filed 10-15-20; 8:45 am]
Billing code 3295-F1-P