Columbus Day, 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 anniversary 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.