Columbus Day in Puerto Rico
Columbus Day is a holiday in Puerto Rico.
When is Columbus Day in Puerto Rico
Columbus Day is celebrated on 09, October, 2023 in Puerto Rico.
About Columbus Day in Puerto Rico
Columbus Day, also known as Día de la Raza (Day of the Race) or Día de la Hispanidad (Hispanicity Day), is a public holiday in Puerto Rico. It is celebrated on the second Monday in October to commemorate Christopher Columbus’s arrival in the Americas in 1492.
In Puerto Rico, Columbus Day is a day to celebrate the island’s Hispanic heritage and culture. Many people attend parades, festivals, and other cultural events to honor Puerto Rico’s history and traditions.
However, the holiday is also controversial in Puerto Rico and other Latin American countries because it marks the beginning of European colonization and the devastating impact it had on indigenous populations. Some people choose to observe Indigenous Peoples’ Day instead, which recognizes the contributions and resilience of Native American and Indigenous communities.
In recent years, there has been a growing movement in Puerto Rico to replace Columbus Day with Indigenous Peoples’ Day or another holiday that celebrates the island’s diverse cultural heritage.
History of Columbus Day in Puerto Rico
Columbus Day, also known as Día de la Raza (Day of the Race) or Día de la Hispanidad (Hispanic Heritage Day), has been celebrated in Puerto Rico since 1893. The holiday commemorates Christopher Columbus’s arrival in the Americas on October 12, 1492.
During the early 20th century, Columbus Day was celebrated with parades, speeches, and other festivities. It was seen as a way to honor Puerto Rico’s Spanish heritage and its ties to the rest of the Americas. However, as Puerto Rico’s political and cultural identity began to shift in the mid-20th century, some began to question the holiday’s significance.
In the 1960s and 1970s, Puerto Rico experienced a surge of nationalist sentiment and a renewed interest in the island’s indigenous Taíno culture. Many activists saw Columbus Day as a celebration of colonialism and genocide, and called for its abolition. In response, the Puerto Rican government renamed the holiday Día de la Raza in 1978, emphasizing the multicultural roots of Puerto Rican identity.
Today, Columbus Day is still celebrated in Puerto Rico, but it is often marked with protests and calls for greater recognition of the island’s indigenous and African heritage. Some municipalities have even replaced Columbus Day with Indigenous Peoples Day, honoring the Taíno people who inhabited the island before Columbus’s arrival.
How is Columbus Day celebrated in Puerto Rico
Columbus Day, or Día de la Raza, is celebrated in Puerto Rico on the second Monday of October. It is a public holiday, and many businesses and schools are closed.
The day is celebrated with parades, festivals, and cultural events. The largest celebration takes place in the city of Ponce, where a parade is held with colorful floats, music, and traditional costumes.
Many Puerto Ricans also use the day to celebrate their Taíno heritage and culture. The Taíno people were the indigenous people of Puerto Rico before the arrival of Christopher Columbus, and their culture is still celebrated and remembered today.
Overall, Columbus Day is a day of celebration and remembrance of the history and culture of Puerto Rico.
Dates
Columbus Day will be celebrated in Puerto Rico on 2023-10-09 2024-10-14 2025-10-13 2026-10-12 2027-10-11 in the comming years.