Raza

for details see Cristóbal Colón, Cantos Para Todos Volume VII

Presented by Dr. Roy E. Howard, Western New Mexico University Gallup Graduate Studies Center

Día de la Raza
12 October 1492
The Carib people discover Columbus lost and hungry. They offer him food and water, and invite him to return. He returns with priests who change their ideas, merchants who enslave them, and soldiers who impose an alien culture and begin a new race.
Cristofori Colombo
The son of weavers in Genoa, Cristofori Colombo never learned to read, write or speak Italiano until he was 18 years old. He always would rather travel than weave, so when he became educated, he began to sail the Mediterranean Sea. He believed their was a better route to the East, but the Italianos would not support him. He lived in Portugal, but the Portugueses would not help him. Finally, he fell in love in España, learned Español, changed his name to Cristóbal Colón, got the support of the Queen, and sailed West to get to the East. The journey was longer than he expected, and there was another continent in the way.
La Raza
Those who followed him during the next 500 years came either to escape the oppression and persecution of their homeland, or to further it. Throughout the Americas, the european pilgrims and pioneers flocked to escape personal poverty and dictatorial governments. Those governments followed them, imposing long distance colonial rule. The people finally rejected european rule in favor of a national identity as citizens of one of the several American States. Most liberation movements took place during the 19th Century, beginning with the 13 Colonies in 1776.
Freedom
The quest for freedom takes many forms besides political:
Freedom from addictions: the new people in our land had to learn what substances to use or not use.
Freedom of worship: there has been a constant struggle for recognition and tolerance of differences.
Freedom to pursue happiness: consider the family alternative.
September Independence dates
7 - Brazil, 1822;
15 - Costa Rica, 1821; Guatemala, 1821; Honduras, 1838;
16 - México, 1810;
18 - Chile, 1818
19 - St Christopher-Nevis, 1983
21 - El Salvador, 1821; Belize, 1981;
28 - Nicaragua, 1821;

July Independence Dates
4 - United States, 1776
5 - Venezuela, 1821
9 - Argentina, 1816
10 - Bahamas, 1973
20 - Colombia, 1810
28 - Peru, 1821
May Independence Dates
14 - Paraguay
20 - Cuba, 1902
24 - Ecuador, 1822;
26 - Guyana, 1966