A national holiday honoring Columbus is the culmination of a goal which we have long sought. At times the obstacles seemed as difficult as those encountered by the man we honor today. But the day has arrived and it is fitting that Columbus. the father of immigration. has been given a place equal to that of George Washington. the father of our country. for it was through Columbus voyage that a pattern was established for a nation of many nationalities. traits. and beliefs. Those of us of Italian heritage rightly point with pride to his origins and achievements. while not forgetting the Hispanic contribution which supported his venture. the Portuguese charts which guided him. the British who colonized our shores. and the Irish and Italians and Germans and Slavs and Poles and men from every part of the globe of every color and every creed who inhabited them and improved them and who inspired their development. Columbus was a prophecy of the America to comeof the immigrant who uprooted himself from his homeland in search of opportunities. This is the legacy of Columbus--a land where all men regardless of how humble or exhalted their origins could achieve their full potential. Columbus will be remembered as a man who fought tenaciously and suffered terribly because he wanted to find the truth and make it triumph.
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