Did you know Mexico celebrates Columbus Day? We were surprised to find out that they do. On October 8th of this year (2007) Columbus Day will be celebrated in America as the day Christopher Columbus arrived in 1492. However, in Mexico this day is celebrated on October 12th and is known as Día de la Raza, the Day of the Race. Let me give you a little background.

You may remember from school that Christopher Columbus, an Italian seafarer  of the 15th century, believed he had found a better trade route to India. Although it took him eight years, he finally convinced the Spanish Queen Isabella to finance his journey, and he left Spain with 3 small ships, La Niña, La Pinta, and La Santa María. After a long and difficult trip, all three ships landed on an island in the Bahamas on October 12th, 1492. Chris thought he had reached India (which is why native Americans were called “Indians” for many years).

Many people believe that the Americas were actually discovered some time before Chris ever landed. However, he claimed the new land in the name of the Spanish monarchy and was the first to establish continual contact and eventual trade between the Americas and Europe.

About 30 years later, Hernán Cortés conquered Mexico which then became a colony of Spain for the next 300 years. The indigenous people intermarried with the Spanish and eventually a new race was born. This is what Mexicans celebrate on October 12th: the historical origins of the Mexican race. In 1928 the Día de la Raza was declared an official national holiday by the Mexican Congress.