When I was in Kindergarten (1981-1982), we were taught what a great man Columbus was. Of course, about 75% of the kids in my class had vowels at the end of their name, so that was a factor.
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We went to school not very far apart. When I was in kindergarten in PS 45 in South Ozone Park in 1955-56, about 90% of my classmates were descendants of slaves and I cannot recall how Columbus Day was covered. When I moved on to Christ the King in Springfield Gardens a couple years later, we had a high “last name ending in vowel” factor, though most of the sisters were Irish. Columbus was, nonetheless, a good Catholic and not in the least bit a Protestant and therefore a good person.