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500 years after Columbus
Year Published: 1990Resource Type: Organization Cx Number: CX3830 Abstract: Native Peoples and their friends are engaging in a campaign to oppose the planned official celebrations of the 500th anniversary of Christopher Columbus' first landing in the Americas in 1492. Against the claim that Columbus "discovered" America, and that his arrival is something to celebrate, they are characterizing the arrival of whites as a disaster for Native Peoples which led to the destruction of their communities, their cultures, and their way of life. One of the starkest facts underlining the extent of the disaster is contained in the population statistics. In 1492, the population of the Americas was estimated at 80 million; by 1650, the Native population was about 4 million. One organizing effort is the "Self-Discovery of America" campaign, now active in several countries, which seeks to address the concerns of all the social and racial groups who have experienced social and cultural destruction under colonialism. For more information about this and other campaigns, contact Kai Visionworks, Box 5490, Station A, Toronto, Ontario M5W 1N7, or the Latin American Working Group, Box 2207, Station P, Toronto, Ontario M5S 2T2, (416) 533-9940. Kai Visionworks has an information package available for $3; LAWG has an "1992 - Self-Discovery of America" file. |