[United States Statutes at Large, Volume 127, 113th Congress, 1st Session]
[From the U.S. Government Publishing Office, www.gpo.gov]

 
PROCLAMATION 9041--OCT. 11, 2013

Proclamation 9041 of October 11, 2013

Columbus Day, 2013
By the President of the United States of America
A Proclamation
Late in the summer of 1492, Christopher Columbus, a renowned navigator
and fearless adventurer, set out with three ships into uncharted waters.
He hoped to discover a new route to the east--opening trade routes for
precious spices and paving the way for his patrons, Ferdinand II and
Isabella I, to expand their empire. Instead, more than two months later,
his crew spotted the Bahamas, and our world was changed forever.
A son of Genoa, Italy, Columbus blazed a trail for generations of
Italians who followed his path across the Atlantic. As we mark the
an-



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niversary of his voyage, our Nation embraces the many ways Italian
Americans have enriched our culture and our communities--as soldiers who
defend our Nation in times of war, as leaders and laborers, as educators
and entrepreneurs. This deep-rooted heritage has come to define who we
are as a Nation, and it has helped us forge an extraordinary
transatlantic partnership with the people of Italy.
As Christopher Columbus and his crew made landfall, they could not have
foreseen the ways in which their journey would shake contemporary
understanding of the world, or the lasting mark their arrival would
leave on the Native American societies they encountered. So as we
celebrate the bold legacy of Christopher Columbus, we also pay tribute
to the honorable yet arduous history of Native Americans, with whom the
United States will always maintain strong nation-to-nation
relationships.
As today's dreamers, explorers, scientists, and engineers set their
sights on the next great discovery, may they be inspired by Christopher
Columbus's tale of unbounded courage and unwavering spirit. And as we
pursue knowledge and progress, may we never lose sight of our shared
humanity.
In commemoration of Christopher Columbus's historic voyage 521 years
ago, the Congress, by joint resolution of April 30, 1934, and modified
in 1968 (36 U.S.C. 107), as amended, has requested the President
proclaim the second Monday of October of each year as ``Columbus Day.''
NOW, THEREFORE, I, BARACK OBAMA, President of the United States of
America, do hereby proclaim October 14, 2013, 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 eleventh day of
October, in the year of our Lord two thousand thirteen, and of the
Independence of the United States of America the two hundred and thirty-
eighth.
BARACK OBAMA