Today in History: October 11

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On October 11, 1492, Rodrigo de Triana, one of the men who sailed with Christopher Columbus on his voyage to India, spotted land from the ship La Niña. The next day, Columbus would go ashore on an island called Guanahani by the Lucayans. This marked the first known European contact with the Americas.

Columbus took several Lucayans as slaves, and subsequent colonizers continued the practice. In less than 30 years, through enslavement, murder, and disease, the Lucayan people were essentially wiped out of existence.

National Heroes Act 2007

In 2013, the National Heroes Act 2007 came into force, replacing the day that was previously celebrated as Columbus Day and Discovery Day with National Heroes Day. The act also allows for the formal selection and recognition of the country’s national heroes.

At the time, Governor General Sir Arthur Foulkes signed the legislation at Government House, where he also gave assent to the Majority Rule Act 2013, proclaiming January 10 a public holiday recognized as Majority Rule Day.

Then Prime Minister Perry Christie praised the signing of the “two historic pieces of legislation”.