Statement on the Elimination of Columbus Day by Chicago Public Schools

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Statement to CPS Decision

“This is a slap in the face of the more than 500-thousand Italian Americans in Chicago, and the 135- million Italians worldwide. The Joint Civic Committee of Italian Americans is challenging CPS’s decision and has mounted a campaign to reverse this action. “There are many historical figures whose past actions have come under scrutiny in recent times. For Italian Americans, who endured horrific discrimination and continue to be the subject of stereotypical degradation in popular culture, Christopher Columbus is a symbol for the resilience of a people that have helped shape the cultural landscape of this great nation. “The historical legacy of any individual is and should be subject to debate. That debate should not give license to the wholesale removal of a symbol indemnity that was a beacon of hope for millions of maligned Italians who helped create the beauty of this country.” Sergio Giangrande President JCCIA