Today’s Almanac Thursday, October 12: Columbus Day begins in America

It happened today

On October 12, 1792, the 300th anniversary of Christopher Columbus’ arrival in the New World was celebrated in New York: the Genoese explorer landed on the first island – renamed San Salvador – on October 12, 1492, after weeks of navigation. That first Columbus Day was followed by others: in the second half of the nineteenth century, the day began to be celebrated in cities with large Italian-American communities, and in 1937 Roosevelt declared it a national holiday in the states. In recent years, the anniversary has become more controversial and in some parts of the United States (as in several South American countries) it has been decided to no longer observe it: for example, in Los Angeles, October 12 is Indigenous Peoples’ Day. Six years, the day, another celebration that took place for the first time on October 12, 1810 was less divisive: on that day King Ludwig I of Bavaria married Therese of Saxony – Hildeperhausen. For this event, he invited people to celebrate (especially to drink) in the meadows outside Munich. Oktoberfest was born.

©All rights reserved (Luigi Gaetani)

Born on

Edith Stein, 12 October 1891, a Christian nun

Eugenio Montale, 12 October 1896, poet, writer, translator and journalist

Arthur ClokeyOctober 12, 1921, American animator

Luciano Pavarotti, 12 October 1935, tenor

Lucia Pauly, 12 October 1940, actress

Massimo Gini, 12 October 1954, actor and director

Roberto Giacobo12 October 1961, TV presenter, journalist and author

Luca Carboni, 12 October 1962, singer-songwriter and musician

Adele AmmentolaOctober 12, 1963, Journalist

Hugh Jackman, 12 October 1968, Australian actor

Adam Rich, October 12, 1968, American actor

Josh Hutcherson, October 12, 1992, American actor

Deaths of the day

Piero della Francesca, 12 October 1492, painter, art theorist and mathematician

Edith Cavell12 Oct 1915, British Nurse

Anatole France12 October 1924, French writer

René Lacoste, 12 October 1996, French tennis player, businessman and designer

Gillo Pontecorvo, 12 October 2006, director, screenwriter and actor

Saint of the day

St. Edisto, Sacrificer. According to tradition, he accompanied the emperor to Nero’s march and Laurentum, where he converted to Christianity. Following his baptism by the Apostle Peter, he was martyred via Laurentina.