"Discovery Five Hundred" Newsletter of the International Quincentenary Alliance Volume V, Number 4, October 12, 1990 COLUMBUS ON THE MOVE...AGAIN! By Joseph M. Laufer A research grant in Puerto Rico gave me an opportunity for which I had been longing for a number of years. I had visited most of the places throughout the world associated in some way with Christopher Columbus, but I had never been to Santo Domingo. I decided to do a same day fly-in, fly-out from San Juan to Santo Domingo. However, my timing wasn't all that good, because the only time I could interrupt my work in Puerto Rico was the final Saturday in July, the weekend of the popular "Merengue Festival" in Santo Domingo, which attracts many Puerto Ricans. Most of the flights were booked solid. A travel agent finally found a single seat on a Saturday flight which would help me fill in the missing piece in my Columbus collage. While there are many historic shrines in Santo Domingo, the focal point of my visit was to be the tomb of Christopher Columbus in the Cathedral. Never mind that the tomb is shrouded in controversy. I had pretty well settled things in my own mind through research in Puerto Rico. The library at the Catholic University of Puerto Rico has an excellent Columbus collection and I was able to learn enough to be convinced that the remains in Santo Domingo were truly those of Christopher Columbus. An excellent book on the subject was written in 1953 by Frederick Benton. It is in Spanish, entitled, "La Ultima Sepultura de Colon" (The final burial place of Columbus). This is not the place to detail the story. I have opted to follow this summary with a reprint of an article written by Arthur Alfonso Schomburg, a Puerto Rican, which was published in 1934 in "Mission Fields at Home". This article provides an excellent overview of the "comedy of errors" surrounding the alleged multiple transferrals of the remains of Columbus. Frederick Benton's work is well-documented and concludes that the remains of Christopher Columbus rest now in the Cathedral of Santo Domingo and that the Spaniards, in error, transferred the remains of Columbus' son, Diego, in 1795. No fraud or deceit was intended--it was simply an error, because of the way the remains were originally placed in the Cathedral. This work is recommended for those who wish to see the convincing and detailed documentation supporting these conclusions. Having had my intellectual curiosity satisfied by the research, it was natural that the first place I wanted to visit in Santo Domingo, camera in hand, was the tomb of Columbus in the Cathedral. I had a vivid mental picture of the ornate marble tomb of Columbus--I show and describe it repeatedly in my illu- strated lectures. My taxi driver took me directly from the airport to the Plaza de Colon in front of the Cathedral, dropping me off near the famous statue of the pointing Columbus, erected there 100 years ago. Upon entering the Cathedral I immediately encountered scaffolding and a large construction barrier at the rear of the edifice. My objective, the tomb of Columbus, was obscured--cut off from public view. There were two helmeted military men in white uniforms, rifles in hand, standing at attention to my immediate right, just this side of the temporary barrier. They were guarding something at the side altar. An iron grate stood between them and the item they were protecting in a nitch on a side altar in the Cathedral. I recognized the black iron engraving from the original Columbus tomb and the Aladans-lamp- like eternal flame hanging to the side. I asked the soldiers if this were the tomb of Colon. They responded in the affirmative. Columbus has been moved again. His remains disturbed for the third or fourth--or fifth time--since his death in 1506! This temporary resting place is in preparation for his ceremonial transfer to his final (?) resting place in the colossal Faro de Colon (Columbus Lighthouse) across the Ozama river in time for the 1992 Quincentenary. I quickly recovered from my disappoint- ment, chagrin, and surprise and spent some moments in meditative silence before the tomb of the man I had travelled miles to see. The presence of the guards was distracting, yet it contributed a sense of dignity to the occasion. Columbus' remains just weren't relegated to a side altar--they were honored by a military guard all day and every day! I asked the soldiers if I could take some pictures, and they obliged. I then asked them if I could go behind the barrier to the original location of the monument-tomb. They gave permis- sion--and there, in the place where the magnificent white marble tomb once stood was a huge rectangular hole in the ground. Some pieces of the monument were in crates off to the side--and I could see through the door that most of the parts were in the outer courtyard. I assumed that they were being packed for transferral to the lighthouse--but there was no one there in authority to verify my suspicions. I took several snapshots of the scene for posterity. Despite my disappointment, I consoled myself by affirming that I was here at a significant moment in history--I was an actual witness to the transition. I would be one of the last tourists to visit the remains of Columbus in the Cathedral. From now on, his body would rest in a new location, and all future tourists would visit it there. Indeed, I was privileged. I completed my visit to the Cathedral in the presence of the remains of the Admiral of the Ocean Sea. I spent the rest of the day visiting other places connected with the life of Columbus and his family, chief among them, the Alcazar de Colon, or Columbus Palace, home of Diego Columbus, who governed the New World after his father. I saw the many preparations underway for 1992, when the historic colonial area of Santo Domingo will become a mecca for tourists in search of a connection with Columbus. I had the opportunity to get a glimpse of the colossal Columbus Memorial Lighthouse. It was much further along than I had anticipated, and it looks impressive in the distance when it is viewed from the shore of the Ozama River. According to the recently re-elected (sixth term at age 88!) president of the Dominican Republic, Dr. Joaquin Balaguer, the lighthouse commemo- rating Columbus will be the "greatest tourist attraction in the Caribbean." President Balaguer's government began the six-year construction project in 1986 and a year later, in Madrid, re- ceived unanimous support from the 85-member World Tourism Organi- zation to feature the inauguration of the Lighthouse and monument during the worldwide celebration of the 500th Anniversary of the Discovery of the Americas. The monument will contain a chapel with Columbus' tomb, as well as six large museums housing unique historical treasures. The first museum will illustrate the history of the light- house itself. Among the objects displayed will be the photos, models and drawings utilized in the original projects submitted for the architectural contest which dates back to the 1940's and the Trujillo regime. A column was erected on March 19, 1944 to commemorate the laying of the first stone for the lighthouse, in conjunction with the centenary of the founding of the Dominican Republic. A ceremony was conducted on April 14, 1948 to initiate the work on the lighthouse, which was designed by Architect Joseph Lea Gleave. It is designed in the form a giant cross and rests in the center of an International Park, some 2,500 acres in extent. A library of catalogued publications relating to Columbus' voyages will be featured in the second museum. Texts on the conquest of new lands, settlements in the New Republic, and biographies of voyagers will be on display. Dedicated to cartography, the third museum will consist of maps of America. The collection will include the cartography of navigators and will showcase the first map of an American territory drawn by Columbus. A fourth museum will honor Columbus himself. Coins, stamps, gold and silver medals will be exhibited in addition to a collec- tion of iconography in bronze, lithographs, and on canvas. In the fifth museum, underwater archaeology and discoveries will be featured in an effort to illustrate the dangers of marine travel. This collection is the most complete in existence. The sixth and final museum will showcase historic ceramic pieces from the 15th to the 20th centuries. The country's extensive collection of archaeological ceramics is the result of digs in Santo Domingo and other parts of the country. According to the architect, J. L. Gleave, "the geographic location of the Memorial is such that it is destined to become a great crossroad of the world's travel, both by sea and air. The lighthouse thus becomes an air beacon which may well be one of the first sights of the New World by many travellers." The design in the form of a tremendous cross carved in the ground, is meant to be an enduring reflection of the wooden crosses set up by Columbus when he first arrived in the New World. It becomes pyramidal in structure, a massive structure of marble and canyons. In the heart of the monument stands the chapel, with the tomb containing the bones of Columbus at its center. Each night, at dusk, through the ages, an organ will play a Columbus requiem in a sevenfold phrase, opening as a faint whisper through the chapel and canyons, and repeated louder and louder as lights of the Columbus cross reach up to the heavens. The cross is laid out from east to west, the way Columbus travelled and European civilization has moved. The arms of the cross point to North and South America. Immediately over the tomb and chapel stands the beacon of progress, with its symbolic twenty-one spokes, and its revolving light flashing out the symbol of the Lighthouse. This will indeed be the ultimate monument to Columbus. It is excuse enough for returning to Santo Domingo upon its completion. Sadly, the future of the Dominican Republic isn't reflected in the solid stability of this monument. A visitor to the island, the cradle of European civilization in the New World, is struck by the contrasts--the poverty of the people as con- trasted with the financial outlay for construction in anticipation of the Quincentenary. Will the tourist dollars improve the life of the people of Santo Domingo? There is skepticism mixed with hopeful anticipation of better days beginning in 1992. The narrow political victory of octogenarian (and blind) Joaquin Balaguer does not augur well for political stability over the next several years. Even worse problems in neighboring Haiti make it a place to be avoided in 1992, despite its historic connection with the events of 1492. Is this the curse of Columbus, for having been forbidden to even visit his beloved Hispaniola on his fourth voyage? Let us hope that the Quincentenary will be a catalyst for improved conditions on this Island which Columbus described in his diary on December 5, 1492 as the "most beautiful land human eyes have ever seen." Information for this article has been taken from Travelhost Magazine, Vol. 23, No. 38, page 11; "El Faro A Colon", a publication of the Permanent Executive Committee of the Columbus Lighthouse dated 1954; and "La Ultima Sepultura de Colon", by Frederick Benton, 1953. JOURNEYS OF COLUMBUS TO THE NEW WORLD In Life and After Death by Arthur Alfonso Schomburg This article originally appeared in "Mission Fields at Home" VI (July-August, 1934) 147-151. It has recently been included in a publication of the Center for the Advanced Studies of Puerto Rico and The Caribbean entitled "Arthur Alfonso Schomburg - A Puerto Rican Quest for His Black Heritage" by Flor Pineiro de Rivera (1989), 296 pages. The work is an annotated compendium of his writings. This particular piece appears on pages 209 to 216. Ed. In November, 1905, I was a passenger on the steamship Cherokee bound from New York to Santo Domingo, a member of an expedition to examine a tract of land reputed to contain great copper wealth. After much labor and prospecting our strenuous efforts ended in a blind alley; the subject of our quest turned out to have been a salted pond. But, though we found no copper lode, nor any mineral wealth, we found in the Dominican Republic, particularly in its capital, a wealth of historic lore and legend which more than compensated me for the mining failure. Santo Domingo is a lovely and quaint place. Pastoral in many ways, it seems to retain the simplicity and charm of the days when Christopher Columbus moored his caravel, the Santa Maria, to the ceiba tree. When I was there this historic, centuries old ceiba flourished like the proverbial bay tree, bathed by the refreshing waters of the Ozama River which comes rippling down the mountain side on its way to the sea. Strolling through the streets of this oldest Spanish town in the New World we stopped a moment to see the sundial still shadowing the hour of day. What a remarkable period of time has passed since its emplacement! And what a pantheon of Spanish history this city proved to be! Here we saw the historic ruins of the first colonial government, set up in the New World by the Spaniards, under Governor Nicolas de Ovando. We rambled about the ruins of the old colonial castle where Diego Columbus, son of the Great Admiral, lived in regal splendor. The castle was built about 1510 or 1511 shortly after Diego Columbus came to Santo Domingo, as governor of the colony. It was occupied by the Columbus family until the death of the great-grandson of Christo- pher Columbus and last of his male descendants. Diego Columbus, oldest son and heir of Christopher Columbus, was Viceroy, second Admiral of the Indies, Governor of Hispanio- la, and slave dealer. The Negroes brought from southern Spain rebelled against their lot under the son of the Discoverer of America. Diego Columbus then became interested in the proposi- tion of importing slaves from Guinea into the new colony. We saw too the ruins of San Nicolas, the church edifice which during the early days of colonization served its genera- tions as a place in which to worship God. Toussaint L'Ouverture was here received with high honors. Here, according to common report, on Jan. 27, 1801, he forced the Spanish priests to chant the "Te Deum" in thanksgiving for the yoke of Haiti thrust upon them. We entered the seemingly vacant edifice and found it fallen to unhallowed use as manager and blacksmith joint. Evidences of its former usefulness and glorious past still lingered about the building of simple architectural design. The revolution and evils that men do seemed to have been forgotten - the silent walls spoke eloquently of pristine grandeur; the once beautiful cerulean blue Moroccan tiles suggested its former glorious past. We could not help taking off our hats to the memory of the former sanctuary, regretting so sad a fate should have befallen it. We saw the building of the first university of Santo Domingo, where Canons taught Latin, letters, moral philosophy and religion to the Spanish descendants in America. But the crowning joy of our tour of Santo Domingo came to us in our visit to the cathedral, in which rest the ashes of the Great Admiral. So much has been said and written about Christo- pher Columbus, to get a true knowledge of him one must struggle through a maze of legend. Genoa goes unchallenged as the place of his birth. He lived the life of a sailor, so to speak, full of trouble and tribulations. Not even after death was he to enjoy the quiet of a burial plot in nature's greensward. The weary eyes of Christopher Columbus closed in eternal sleep on Ascension Day, May 20, 1506, at Valladolid. Franciscan friars were at his bedside. Even to this day the house where Christopher Columbus died is pointed out by street urchins to the transient wayfarer. He died in the house known as number 7 in the Calle de Francos, where the inscription on a slab indicates his demise. Since his death the name of the street has been changed in his honor to Calle de Cristobal Colon. The simple but impressive services for the dead were intoned in the parish church of Santa Maria la Antigua. Later in the day his body was conducted in procession to the Convent Church of the Franciscan Fathers and was there buried. Geronimo de Zurita said:"Quietly, without ostentation, the immortal man who gave Spain a New World was shabbily put away." From the vault of the Franciscan Church the remains of Columbus were later taken to the Monastery of Nuestra Senora Santa Maria de las Cuevas, about eight miles from Sevilla. This fact is stated by Diego Columbus, the son of the Great Admiral, when seeking to transfer the remains of his distinguished father to Santo Domingo. We find two Royal Warrants extant, one dated Sept. 8, 1523, and the other June 2, 1537, issued by Charles V. granting patent for such request. There is a manuscript bundle of papers in the Academy of History, Madrid, Spain, bearing date for the year 1506, in which we find related that: On the 20th day of May, 1506, Christopher Columbus, the eminent and heroic navigator, died in the city of Valladolid and his remains were brought to this Monastery [de las Cuevas] and placed in the chapel of Santa Ana where the Prior Diego Luxam built the beautiful sculptured altar. His son, the second Admi- ral, was also buried in las Cuevas soon after his death in 1526. Archbishop Gonzalo de Mena was the founder of this Carthu- sian Monastery of las Cuevas. He was the benefactor of the Negroes of the city of Sevilla and passed on in the year 1401. When he died the members of the Negro Brotherhood of the chapel of Our Lady of the Angels, as their mission was called, escorted the body of their patron to this Monastery of the Caves. When in Sevilla I noted the carved niche in the Cathedral, which stated his remains had been brought and re-entombed facing the imposing monument to Columbus on the right in the nave of the great church. The third interment of Columbus' body was the desire to give him a permanent resting place in the island of Santo Domingo, to comply with the expressed wishes of Columbus, as attested by his sons. This fact is verified by a Royal Letter Patent dated at Valladolid, June 2, 1527, in which is related that Dona Maria de Toledo, widow of the second Admiral, Diego Columbus, in her own name, and as administratrix and executrix of Luis Columbus, her son, petitioned the Emperor Charles V to permit the burial of Diego Columbus (her husband and father of Luis) in the principal chapter of the Cathedral of Santo Domingo, to the end that the remains of Christopher Columbus, in the Monastery of las Cuevas, may be taken to Santo Domingo, to fulfill the last wishes of the First Admiral. The Emperor Charles V, granted the petition for the burial of the Columbus family in the Cathedral of Santo Domingo: of Christopher, his son Diego, and their descendants and successors for all times and forever. By virtue of a Royal Decree issued by Charles V the remains of the Great Admiral, Christopher Columbus and his son, Admiral Diego Columbus, were transported in 1541 to Santo Domingo to be placed on the Gospel side in the crypt under the high altar. There has been no end of conflicting statements, concerning the actual burial place of the Great Navigator. Since both bodies were brought over in leaded boxes, in the confusion incidental to such an unusual undertaking some mistake must have crept in somewhere. It seems as if the military authorities just muddled the whole state of affairs. It seems incredible with the ceremo- nial pomp and the many persons concerned, that the leaded box containing the remains of such a great figure in the discovery of America should have suffered by such error. Were the records of the church lost? Or were they damaged by ravages from insects, or other destroying agencies? We cannot determine. No record is extant to tell whether Christopher Columbus was buried to the right of the altar or to the left. It just happened, that's all! During the revolutionary activities of Toussaint L'Ouverture, General Gabriel de Aristizabal in command of the Spanish forces, was much concerned over any damage that might come to the cathedral. Fearful lest the black forces under L'Ouverture should desecrate the sacred place and seize the precious vessels and objects of value, General Aristizabal accompanied by the civil, military and ecclesiastical dignitar- ies, on Dec. 20, 1795, proceeded to open the crypt under the Gospel side of the cathedral and found a leaded box. The said box, supposedly containing the remains of Christo- pher Columbus, was taken aboard the brigantine Descubridor and delivered outside the harbor to the naval ship San Lorenzo anchored off shore. Soon after the big ship unfurled her sails and departed for Habana, Cuba, where with due ceremony the leaded box with its remains was delivered to the governor, taken to the Habana Cathedral and there deposited in an open niche on the Gospel side. Much criticism has been hurled at the Spaniards for having disturbed the repose of the Great Admiral, but, we must concede they were justified in taking the remains of their great sea captain to a place of security. They feared the ferocity and barbarism of the rebellious Africans under a new freedom. The Negroes under Toussaint L'Ouverture could have gotten beyond control and desecrated the sepulchre and scattered the remains. They also feared the barbarism of the white pirates and bucca- neers who seemed to be everywhere on the high seas. Was there a worse sea-wolf than Drake, or Lonolois who committed the worst high crimes? Christopher Columbus in his life-time had made four voyages of discovery to and from the New World. After his death his remains had come back to the land he loved, to find his third, and supposedly fourth, place of interment; a fifth transportation was undertaken to bring him back to Spain. At the withdrawal of Spain's military forces from Cuba and the lowering of her nation- al flag at the close of the Spanish-American War, Spain deter- mined to take with her the remains of Columbus. On Dec. 12, 1898, the leaded box said to contain the bones of Columbus was taken from the Habana Cathedral and delivered to the Spanish cruiser Conde de Venadito. The warship crossed the Atlantic and threaded its way on Jan. 19, 1899, up the Guadalquivir until it docked at St. Elmo pier, Sevilla. From this point it was taken with great ceremony to the second largest cathedral in Christen- dom and entombed there. And all the while, through all the years since 1541 when "some one had blundered" the mortal remains of Christopher Columbus rested peacefully and undisturbed in the Cathedral of Santo Domingo. I recall vividly to this day the tall figure dressed in black, walking quietly at dusk outside the Cathedral of Santo Domingo. My friend said: "There is the Senor Canon Billini, the Vicar of the Cathedral, who found the true remains of Christopher Columbus during the alteration of the Cathedral." It was a happy day for me to speak to this great churchman, the Rev. Canon Francisco Xavier Billini y Hernandez, and learn from him how the enigma had been solved and the fact of Columbus tomb established. On Sept. 10, 1877, near the door leading from the chapter room into the presbytery, about a little over a yard from the wall, a hidden vault was disclosed; in it was a leaded box, inside and outside were found inscribed the name of Christo- pher Columbus and his titles. Father Billini was in the pres- bytery when the vault was discovered and when the workmen made their first excited announcement of the startling find. I returned to the Cathedral to view again the beautiful hand sculptured sanctuary within the main entrance to the cathedral where lies what little mortal remains of Christopher Columbus. I no longer felt any doubt that I saw the resting place of the greatest sailor of his day and generation, sleeping forever free from all the bitterness and misery of humankind. At various times in Spain and Spanish America I have visited places which are hallowed by the memory of the Great Discoverer. I walked through the street of Valladolid and read the tablet which marks the house in which he died. Into the church where the first funeral rites were held over his body. In the Monas- tery Nuestra Senora Santa Maria de las Cuevas I entered the Chapel of Santa Ana where Columbus was temporarily interred. In the Cathedral of Sevilla I admired the magnificent monument figuring high churchmen carrying aloft the remains of Columbus. Last year at Habana, Cuba, I visited the Cathedral and chatted with the kind-hearted sexton who opened the empty space where once the remains of Columbus had rested. But he could give no assurance the bones of which Columbus - Christopher or Diego - were in the leaded box removed to Sevilla. The discovery made in 1877, the testimony of ecclesiastic, civic, and military authorities who witnessed the opening of the casket at the final excavation, justify the pride and joy of Santo Domingo in its firm belief that the ashes of Christopher Columbus rest in its cathedral; in the casket carried to Havana and later to Sevilla and deposited in the cathedral there, are the ashes of the second Admiral, Diego Columbus, eldest son and heir of the Great Discoverer. BOOK REVIEW Sale, Kirkpatrick. "The Conquest of Paradise: Christopher Columbus and the Columbian Legacy". New York: Alfred A. Knopf, 1990. 435 pages. $24.95. Book of the Month Club alternate selection. Most historians will agree that the last major work on Columbus which contributed significantly to Columbus scholarship and gained popular acceptance was published in 1942: Samuel Eliot Morison's "Admiral of the Ocean Sea". It was anticipated that the forthcoming Columbus quincentenary in 1992 would spawn dozens of books on Columbus which would add little to the body of knowledge surrounding the man and the event which changed the course of history on that October day in 1492. However, it appears that one book has been written which will overshadow all others during the commemoration of that fateful Atlantic cross- ing: Kirkpatrick Sale's "The Conquest of Paradise". Its recep- tion is certain to be surrounded by controversy, however. This book is unique in concept, in organization, in scope, in perspective and in format. At first, it appears that certain chapters belong in another book, or that the author had too many themes to develop, some of which are even too broad for this work. Nevertheless, in the end, everything seems to come togeth- er and you realize that your beliefs have been seriously chal- lenged and that any simplistic knowledge or understanding you may have had concerning Christopher Columbus and the effects of his voyage of exploration and discovery has been shattered under the pen of Kirkpatrick Sale. Your perception of history is trans- formed and your emotions have been taken on a roller coaster ride for over 400 pages. Sale's ability to stir you up both positive- ly and negatively about the events of 1492 is evidence of his skill as an author and an historian. As evidence of the book's unusual organization and scope, witness the table of contents: Ch. 1: 1492 I; Ch. 2: Europe - I: "The End of the World is Near"; Ch. 3: 1492 II; Ch. 4: Europe - II: "The Earth Shall Quake Before Them"; Ch. 5: 1492-93; Ch. 6: 1493-94; Ch. 7: 1495-1500; Ch. 8: 1500-06; Ch. 9: 1506-1606 - I: The Columbian Legacy; Ch. 10: 1506-1606 - II: England; Ch. 11: 1607-25 - I: Jamestown; Ch. 12: 1607-25 - II: Powhatans and Others; Ch. 13: 1625-1992 - Columbus/Columbia. This format makes little sense outside of the context--but once you get into the material, you have to marvel at the author's genius in choosing this pattern of organization. Faced with the overwhelming volume of resource material and the variety of themes that run concur- rently through the work, Sale cleverly selected a workable organizational plan as reflected in the Chapter outline illus- trated above. Because the author is a teacher of history, political science and ecology, he is uniquely equipped to approach the subject from the perspective of ecological history. His descrip- tion of the flora and fauna of the pre-Columbian "New World" is from the perspective of a caring environmentalist; his descrip- tion of the aftermath of conquest and colonization causes the reader to reassess the event and wonder what it might have been like if, instead of imposing their lifestyle on the Indians, the Europeans were persuaded to adopt the Indian lifestyle. Columbus fans will be gratified to learn that all the blame for the problems of colonization and conquest are not laid directly and solely at the feet of their hero. Nor are the Spaniards singled out as the sole perpetrators of genocide and ecological despoilation. The English, Dutch and French share the blame long after the Spaniards made their mark on the New World. One of the great merits of the book is that it is meticulously documented. In addition to paginal footnotes, there are nineteen pages of chapter notes and thirty-seven pages of source notes. Kirkpatrick Sale cannot be accused of shooting from the hip--he has spent seven years of serious scholarly research on this work in anticipation of the Columbian quincen- tenary, even to the point of personally translating certain original documents. At times, it appears that the author demon- strates a love/hate relationship with the central character of the work, Christopher Columbus (or Cristobol Colon, his Spanish name, which Sale uses throughout the work). Authors have been attempting to discover the real Columbus for the past two centuries, and it appears that this author has come very close to the reality. A publisher's blurb aptly describes Sale's Columbus as a "rootless, lonely man who could not understand the world he had discovered." This is not, however, so much a book about Columbus as it is about how history is made and how it is interpreted and manipu- lated by those who have the awesome responsibility of transmit- ting it. Sale writes of the Columbian legacy--that which we are about to commemorate and, yes, celebrate. Sale's book is bound to temper our "celebration". It is ironic that the anticipation of the celebration of the anniversary gave impetus to the publi- cation of this kind of work. Those who will gain the most from this excellent book are individuals who already have more than a cursory knowledge of the Columbus story--the "Columbus legacy", as Sale calls it--as it has come down to us. He will anger Columbus fans who have claimed for centuries that "Columbus was a terrible governor, but an excellent sailor." Sale has no quarrel with the former claim, but he is firm in his belief that Columbus was also at times a lousy sailor. He says, in Chapter 8, that "the four voyages, properly seen, quite apart from bravery and fortitude, are replete with lubberly mistakes, misconceived sailing plans, foolish disregard of elementary maintenance, and stubborn neglect of basic safety..." Columbus is accused of "irresponsible behavior for any admiral, indeed, any traveler of the sea" especially on the fourth voyage. Sale is at his best when he analyzes the reasons behind the European abuse of the land and the people of "paradise" and when he contrasts the beliefs and attitudes of the natives with regard to land and nature with those of 15th and 16th century Europeans. His style of writing is lively and crisp, and sometimes cynical to a fault. A deeply serious work, it is not without its light moments. His rendering of the "Cuba-not-an-island" inci- dent is a classic. The book contains just about everything you ever wanted to know--and, perhaps, some things you didn't want to know--about Columbus: all the trivia; all the myths, which Sale readily dispels; all the listings (it is a veritable Columbian "Book of Lists"); and all the "assumptions"--so identified--which have distorted the reality of the man, Columbus, and his enter- prise. Sale's contribution is that he explains how the myths originated, how the "assumptions" contributed to the errors, and how historians have become victims of faulty perspective and faulty data. An example of this problem is given early in the book when Sale describes Columbus' departure from Palos, Spain. All we have describing this momentous event are "two bare sentences, some fifty meager words about winds and distances." Yet "historians" have added much more color and details, "some complete with extensive descriptions of the cargo and illuminating psychological profiles of the captain and crew, not to mention conversations held on ship board and descriptions of the clouds overhead--all fabrications, inventions, figments masquerading as historian's truths." Sale says that there is "probably no other area of modern history with more elaborate fantasies pretending to be sober fact than in Columbian studies, even in works by the most celebrated and reputable." Some of the eye-opening revelations by Sale go beyond the normal Columbian "myth-busting", as when he asserts that "it is not true, as convention has it, that the trade route by land across the Middle East had been closed by the Turkish conquest of Constantinople," making it absolutely necessary for Europeans to find a sea route to the Indies. Citing one incident after another, Sale exposes "bad history" which has crept even into reputable authors, such as the 1476 swim of Columbus from the sinking ship off Portugal, clinging to an oar, and his map and bookselling career in Portugal. He even concludes, contrary to modern convention, that Columbus did not die without acknowledg- ing that he had discovered a New World, but that as far back as the third voyage he recognized the significance of his discovery. Sale is not exempt from contributing to potential future myths about Columbus, as when he speculates on the reasons for Columbus "to hide the identity of his first landfall island" in keeping with certain flaws in his character. It is easy for the reader to become overwhelmed by every- thing which is contained in this magnificent work. But because of Sale's extensive research, he feels compelled to deal with just about all the Columbian issues. Even self-proclaimed Columbus experts will find interesting new insights. This reviewer has been asked countless times why, if Columbus only landed in the Bahamas on October 12, we use that date as the anniversary of the Discovery of America. Sale provides a logical answer from a geological perspective: "The Bahamian Islands are geologically and biologically related to North America!". Sale is the master of alliteration, as when he speaks of the Spanish colonial legacy of "conquest, conversion, cumulation and control," and of the destruction of the Powhatan society by "defeat, disease, displacement, dispersion, and devastation." Sale's cynicism is displayed throughout the work in eloquent passages, such as this one about the Virginia Colony and tobacco: "It is perhaps fitting that the first colony of what was to become the United States was saved by, and built entirely around, a product of human and environmental debilitation." He has no mercy on Washington Irving, author of "The Life and Voyages of Christopher Columbus" in 1828. He points out that the work is "full of errors and suppositions of fact that are quite unwarranted; details are invented for virtually every scene, sometimes the slimmest facts are elaborated into the most prodigious events..." Sale calls this a "glaring abdication of the responsibility of the historian in favor of the license of the novelist..." When Sale describes the last six years of the fifteenth century, he does it with eloquence, crystallizing the central theme of his work: "They were years of violence and subjugation, and of cruelty of human to human... They were years of environ- mental despoilation and waste, of the ignorant and destructive transplantation of one culture and agriculture, heedlessly upon another. They began with great misfortunes, great misadventure, and great ignorance, and ended with great fortunes, great adven- ture, and the great vision not only of a new hemisphere, but of a new world." Sale's final chapter, which covers the period 1625 to 1992 (a period of 367 years!) is an outstanding contribution to the literature of Columbus, in that it describes the evolution of the Columbus legend. It takes us through 1692, 1792 and 1892, the second, third and fourth centenary years of the first Columbus voyage of discovery, and up to the present day preparations for the fifth centenary in 1992. It illustrates how the world--and especially the United States--commemorated these successive anniversaries over the past three centuries and then previews the many events, organizations and publications which are in place already for 1992. He sheds light on how the Columbus legend dovetailed with the development of national pride during the creation of newly independent America in 1792, the third centena- ry; and how one-hundred years later, in 1892, the Chicago World's Columbian Exposition showcased the industrial growth and expan- sion of America, and how the Quater-centenary became a vehicle for the development of ethnic pride for Italian Americans as they transformed Cristobol Colon into Christopher Columbus. He closes the final chapter with a plea that before it is too late, we reclaim Paradise--or at least take the necessary actions to reverse the destructive elements that were launched by the "conquerors" five hundred years ago. Some people are going to be upset by Kirkpatrick Sale's work--as they were by certain iconoclastic works 100 years ago, when the main speaker at the dedication of the Columbus Statue in New York City was moved to say, "If there is anything which I detest more than another, it is that spirit of critical histori- cal inquiry which doubts everything; that modern spirit which de- stroys all the illusions and all the heroes which have been the inspiration of patriotism through all the centuries." Sale has certainly destroyed the illusions in "The Conquest of Paradise", but the hero, Columbus, emerges--a bit tarnished; a bit humbled-- but a hero none-the-less! Kirkpatrick Sale has given us a Columbus in the context of the history and culture of his time and place and as the product of a 500 year legacy. Columbus fans should not be offended, because, after all, the true fan is always in search of the person behind the facade. We can now see, as Sale describes him, "a much more complex, and more interesting, three-dimensional figure, including foibles, figments and failures." Reviewer: Joseph M. Laufer DEPARTURE OF COLUMBUS' SHIPS: NEW AMERICAN CROSSING by Jack Lee Easum with Simone K. Wong Seville, Spain--Buenos Dias! From August 1 to 3, 1990, I joined Spain in celebrating the departure of the Columbus ships (the three replicas which are referred to as "caravels") from the port city of Huelva, near Palos, amidst a festive confluence of ceremonies, receptions, carnivals, concerts, and holiday enthusi- asm and excitement. Spain has good reason to celebrate! 498 years after Columbus set sail from this picturesque port and discovered the New World, Spain is now experiencing a renais- sance--a re-discovery of its own foundation of greatness. The leadership of this country is moving quickly to re-establish a key role for Spain in the world. My three event-filled days in the land that launched Colum- bus deeply impressed me. Especially moving were visits to the Expo '92 site and La Rabida monastery, the arrival and departure of the Columbus replica ships, and a U.S. Embassy reception. August 1, 1990 - Expo '92 site The construction of the Expo '92 site is well underway, and the finished product will be quite extraordinary. The Expo will feature more than 100 pavilions including a U.S. pavilion. The theme for Expo '92 is "The Age of Discovery". U.S. Ambassador Joe Zappala had his own discovery when he arrived in Spain late last year--the U.S. Congress had declined to fund the U.S. pavilion! During my April visit to Spain, Ambassador Zappala was leading a vigorous campaign to fund the U.S., Pavilion, and he was meeting strong opposition from the U.S. Congress. His close friend, President George Bush, was also committed to participat- ing in Expo '92, and I am pleased to report that Ambassador Zappala has been successful in his efforts: Congress has now appropriated the funds. The river Guadalquivir, its two branches enclosing the Island of La Cartuja, will be the great scenic setting for Expo '92. Its waters, re-routed along a canal following the main axis of the exposition, will flow into a great artificial lake, the real panoramic center of Expo '92. On the shores of this lake will be located the pavilions of Spain and her autonomous re- gions. At the heart of the island, the 15th century monastery of Santa Maria de las Cuevas will occupy a place of honor. It was here that Columbus once stayed, sharing with its Carthusian monks the geographical theories which were to take him to America. The monastery will serve as the Royal Pavilion during the Expo, and will be the starting point for the Way of Discovery. Along this route, organizers are constructing several pavilions. The 15th Century Pavilion will reflect the lifestyle and history of the era. The Pavilion of Discovery will display exhibitions of great discoveries from 1492 to the present. The Navigation Pavilion will be devoted to geographic, oceanic, and scientific discover- ies. And finally, the Pavilion of the Present and Future will demonstrate advances in energy, communications, robotics, automa- tion, artificial intelligence, genetic engineering, and astrono- my. Each day of the Expo will be a spectacular show with danc- ing, sports, non-stop fiestas, an amphitheater, an omnimax theater, rowing and canoeing, a botanic garden, and much more. While viewing the transformation of the Expo site, it occurred to me that it is only part of a major plan to generate infrastructure improvements throughout Spain, including roads, hotels, and other modernizations. Spain will be well prepared for its international showcases in 1992--the Barcelona Olympics and Expo '92. August 2, 1990 - Arrival of the Caravels After touring the Expo '92 site, I visited the port city of Huelva, where more than 10,000 people turned out to see the arrival of the Columbus ships. The ships are striking when first viewed, especially as they cut through the water with windfilled sails. The ships are a dark brown color and the sails are tan with a large red cross in the center. The crowd cheered as each ship docked. Leaving the multitudes to the carnival, concerts, and ceremonies, I decided to proceed the five miles to La Rabida--the monastery where Columbus lived off and on for six years, and where he left his son to be cared for by the Franciscan Friars during his famous voyage. This monastery is on a tree-covered hill, and is dominated by a huge cross atop a 100 foot tall column monument built in 1892 as part of the 400 year Columbus celebrations. The cross on the apex of the monument can be seen miles away. The garden and monastery reminded me of California's missions. It was here at La Rabida that Columbus gained the confidence of influential Franciscans who had spiritual connec- tions with Queen Isabella and who continually set before her the religious objectives for the voyage. La Rabida is a peaceful place. After returning to the Hotel Colon in Seville, I remembered the comments of one of America's leading authorities on Christo- pher Columbus, Joe Laufer: "Columbus and Queen Isabella were religious mystics. Without that connection, the voyage may never have occurred." August 3, 1990 - Departure of Columbus Ships Great drama and emotion accompanied the departure of the Columbus' ships in 1990--on the exact date they left the area 498 years earlier. Thousands of Spaniards bid farewell and safe voyage as loudspeakers blared toe-tapping contemporary music and coast guard ships maneuvered about, shooting water high into the air. The honking of ship horns competed with the rumbling of military aircraft flyovers and buzzing helicopters. Several hundred doves were released and flew over the area. Through the noise of music, the crowds, and the usual harbor sounds, a group of eight kayakers stroking in unison paddled out to each of the caravel ships. Following the traditional floral offering at sea and the official salute to the crews of the ships, this small armada was on its way. The ships are destined first for the Spanish ports of Barcelona, Almeria, Alicante, and Cadiz, after which they will call on other European ports before returning to Spain. The little flotilla is scheduled for departure in May 1991 to com- plete an Atlantic crossing to the U.S., following the identical course charted by Christopher Columbus during his monumental voyage in 1492. This new American crossing will be historic in its dramatic recreation of the original sea-faring journey. Although Columbus never landed on the continental U.S., the replica ships, which are being sponsored by Texaco, are scheduled to tour more than 50 ports in the Americas. According to Alfred C. DeCrane, Jr., Chairman of the Board of Texaco, Inc., "By sponsoring the Nina, Pinta, and Santa Maria replicas to the Columbus Quincentenary Commission, and by spon- soring their tour in the Americas, we at Texaco want to help inspire the spirit of adventure, discovery, and achievement in the millions of people who will see and tour them." It is the opinion of this writer that every American, from small children to senior citizens, should experience these ships. They truly provide an authentic perspective on the historic significance of Columbus, and the courage of the Spaniards and Columbus to undertake such an exploration in such ships. Once you have seen these ships, you will begin to understand the sailor from Genoa and maybe share the inspiration of the vision he lived and, in the world's eyes, so successfully fulfilled. Departure Reception To celebrate the departure of the three replica ships, a private reception was held at the courtyard and salon of the U.S. Consulate grounds in Seville. Hosting the event was the U.S. Embassy's Deputy Ambassador, Ed Casey. Among the guests were Angel Serrano, Chairman of the Sociedad Estadal Quinto Centenario, and Rafael Mazzarassa, President of the Spain '92 Foundation, Spain's official Columbus celebration organization in the U.S. Joining the festivities was John Goudie, Chairman of the United States' Christopher Columbus Jubilee Commission. Goudie serves the Commission by U.S. Presidential appointment. Also in attendance were Doreen Metzner of the Spanish Quinto Centenario organization; Joan Stanley, consultant and director of licensing and merchandising for Spain '92; Ikkan Sanada, a New York art consultant; and Jana Joustra, of the U.S. commission. Also present were a number of noted Columbus scholars, a video team from Texaco, and assorted media representatives from the United States. The centerpiece for the reception, and appropriately so, was the exclusive display of Emanuel Leutze's masterpiece painting, "The Departure of Columbus from Palos in 1492". (See "Discovery Five Hundred", Summer, 1990, pages 1 and 2). The reception was a scheduled stopover for the work, which is currently on tour throughout Europe. As the guests studied and admired the dramat- ic scene depicted on the canvas, comments were invariably made comparing the departure of the three ships earlier in the day to the artist's 1855 historical narrative rendition. Some of the comparisons are noteworthy. Both showed small boats crowding and surrounding the ships with loved ones and others bidding farewell. The weather and location seemed quite similar. The crews of both displayed determination and a matter- of-factness as they set sail. There was great drama and a mixture of excitement and other emotions in both the painting and the departure experience. (If you would like a complimentary reproduction of the painting, please write the author in care of this newsletter--Ed.) While gazing at the painting, I noticed the artist had included some white flying birds, and they reminded me of an incident I had witnessed earlier in the day at the departure of the Columbus ships. It was midday, and the blazing sun was burning my forehead. I decided to stand in the cool shade of a giant American flag waving over the scene. As I looked out upon the chaos in the harbor, I was distracted by a young Spanish boy of about nine or ten who captured a white dove as it landed near him. The boy wanted to make the dove a pet. Surprisingly, his father nodded in agreement. Putting his arm around the boy, father and son walked away from the historic departure of the Columbus ships carrying with them a living part of the experi- ence. But to my surprise, the young boy suddenly turned and, looking out to sea, released the dove into the air, smiled, and waved goodbye. I watched the dove in winged flight as it soared over the thousands viewing the departure and headed out to sea, following in the wake of the ships which were at full sail. To Spain, the ships, the crowds, the boy, and his dove, I say, hasta la vista--until we see each other again. CHILDREN'S BOOKS ON CHRISTOPHER COLUMBUS Selected titles with brief notes by Joseph M. Laufer As the Columbus Quincentennial commemoration approaches, teachers and librarians are interested in obtaining current titles dealing with Christopher Columbus. I have searched through catalogues, bookstores and libraries for a selection of books on Columbus for children. Following is a list of titles with a brief commentary on each. It is our intention to keep this list current in future issues of "Discovery Five Hundred". If any of our readers have discovered any other titles which we should list, please forward the information with your own evalua- tion of the work. Bains, Rae. "Christopher Columbus". Mahwah, NJ: Troll Associates, 1985. 30 pages. Illustrated by Dick Smolinski. $2.50. ISBN 0-8167-0151-2 This very thin book is well-written, quite accurate and beautifully illustrated. It sacrifices very little of the story despite its brevity. It is written on the intermediate level, and avoids the myths which generally accompany the story of Columbus. Some slightly technical details of navigation, geogra- phy and mathematics are deftly simplified and clearly presented. Books by this publisher are generally sold through programs in schools and are quite acceptable to educators. Copeland, Peter F. "Columbus Discovers America Coloring Book". New York: Dover Publications, Inc., 1988. 46 pages. $2.75. ISBN 0-486-25542-5 Peter Copeland and Dover Publications are familiar to teachers. Copeland is a sailor, in addition to being an excel- lent artist. He presents 41 superb drawings, including his own interpretation of some classic Columbus illustrations. However, most of the illustrations are original recreations of life at sea and in the New World during the initial contact period. Copeland is at his best when he illustrates ships and nautical scenes. Each illustration is fully captioned and quite detailed. We would therefore recommend the work for intermediate students. The only quarrel we have with the work is in the rendering of the Taino Indians which Columbus and his sailors encountered. Columbus described them as quite handsome and well built and he carefully described their hair style and adornment. Copeland's Indians are not in keeping with the rather clear descriptions which have come down to us. In some cases they are a bit scrawny. On the last page of the book there is an excellent map of the first voyage of Columbus which can be reproduced (permis- sion given by the publisher) for classroom use. Dalgliesh, Alice. "Columbus Story". New York, Charles Scribner's Sons, 1955. 28 pages. Illustrated by Leo Politi. A brief account of the story of Columbus' first voyage written for young children (pre-school to Primary). It appeals to the child's sense of the heroic and stresses the positive aspects of the enterprise. One of the illustrations is erroneous in that it shows a Franciscan Friar in the landfall scene on San Salvador, despite the fact that there were no priests or friars on the voyage. de Kay, James T. "Meet Christopher Columbus". New York: Random House, Inc. (Step-up Paperback Books), 1989. 72 pages. Illustrated by John Edens. $2.95. ISBN 0-394-81963-2 This moderately large-print book was written for primary students (second grade reading level). There are nineteen brief chapters (one to four pages each), covering the first voyage of Columbus rather thoroughly, despite their brevity. The black and white illustrations contribute nicely to the story. On pages 30 and 31 there is an excellent cut-away drawing of the Santa Maria, clearly illustrating the size and functions of the ship. On page 6 there are drawings which compare the world as Columbus thought it looked and as it really looks--the latter indicating the sea route to and from the New World, as well as the land route of Marco Polo. Written at the level of primary students, it also lends itself to oral reading for young children. Highly recom- mended for primary grades. Dolan, Sean J. "Christopher Columbus - The Intrepid Mari- ner". New York: Fawcett Columbine. Published by Ballantine Books (The Great Lives Series), 1989. 117 pages. Illustrated (traditional prints and woodcuts). $3.95. ISBN 0-449-90393-1 This book is a part of the Great Lives biographies for middle school readers. It is the longest and most detailed of the books being reviewed here. In order to make the events come alive as part of an adventure story, the author has taken certain literary liberties. He creates characters and dialogue to fill- in the rather sketchy historical sources of the story of Colum- bus. What results is a historical novelette which focuses on the heroic character of Christopher Columbus. Despite some of the fictionalization, the work sticks fairly close to the facts and avoids most of the myths. Unlike many of the works for juvenile readers which limit themselves only to Columbus' first voyage, this one includes all four voyages. The author, wittingly or unwittingly, seems to emphasize the spiritual dimension of Columbus throughout the work, especially as regards the motiva- tion for his activity. There are only six black and white illus- trations (classic prints) in the work, and the reader is encour- aged to further his/her knowledge of Columbus by reading other classic works. This book is highly recommended as a first work on Columbus for middle school readers. Fritz, Jean. "Where do You Think You're Going, Christopher Columbus?" New York: G. P. Putnam's Sons, 1983. 80 pages. Illustrated by Margot Tomes. $7.95. ISBN 0-399-20734-1 Written for children ages 9 to 13, Mrs. Fritz's breezy narrative gives us a highly individual Columbus: vain, naive, optimistic, inclined to self-pity, a master seaman but a poor administrator, a man who saw divine providence in the shape of an island, the flight of a bird, and in just about everything that happened to him. Both the author and the illustrator blend their work so that an integrated story results. The illustrations are more or less caricatures of the personalities involved, and contribute an air of lightness to the work. The style, too, is quite playful. There are, however, excellent notes at the end of the book which contribute towards its educational value. One deals with the delicate subject of Columbus' relationship with Beatriz Enriquez de Harana, the mother of his son, Ferdinand. One erroneous note, however, referring to page 75 and the story of how the land discovered by Columbus came to be called America, indicates that a French geographer was the source of the error on a map. The correct information is that a German mapmaker, Martin Waldseemuller was the source of the error. On pages 6 and 7 there are illustrations of the world as it is and the world as Columbus imagined it. The book is highly recommended for upper- intermediate and lower-middle school children. Goodnough, David. "Christopher Columbus". Mahwah, NJ: Troll Associates, 1979. 48 pages. Illustrated by Burt Dodson. $2.50. ISBN 0-89375-162-6 This work is a brief summary of the life of Columbus for Intermediate students (Grades 4-7). The emphasis is on the first voyage, but reference is made to the subsequent three on the last three pages. The illustrations are one color and blend nicely with the text. This is part of the Adventures in the New World series, and is a step up from the other Troll Associates book by Rae Bains, reviewed above. This book is sold through schools and has a certain acceptance with educators. Levinson, Nancy Smiler. "Christopher Columbus, Voyager to the Unknown". Dutton, 1990. 118 pages. $16.95. Recommended for children 9 to 12. This is a big, fact- filled, lavishly illustrated book. What the author lacks in originality, she makes up for in thoroughness. The book is filled with details of all four of Columbus' voyages, including the adventure and the disappointments. The author makes a case for Columbus' positive treatment of the Indians and doesn't cover up the flaws in his personality which contributed to his fall from favor. Lillegard, Dee. "My First Columbus Day Book". Chicago: Children's Press, 1987. 31 pages. Illustrated by Betty Raskin. $3.95. ISBN 0-516-42909-4 This is a book for pre-schoolers. It can, however, be effective with Primary students, as well. It recounts in verse the story of Christopher Columbus and his accomplishments. There are actually fourteen full page colorful illustrations, accom- panied by fourteen independent verses, successively dealing with the planning, executing and returning from the voyage of discovery. The illustration on page 22 perpetuates the myth that a Friar landed with Columbus on San Salvador. The illustrations, however, are very colorful and will appeal to little children. McGovern, Ann. "Christopher Columbus". New York: Scho- lastic, Inc., 1962. 64 pages. Illustrated by Joe Lasker. $2.50. ISBN 0-590-42231-6 This is a book for pre-schoolers, and can, perhaps, be used also in kindergarten and first grade. It is a horizontal book-- 6" high, 8" wide, fifty per cent illustration, fifty per cent text. The charcoal-type illustrations are two-color (blue/black). The very simple style makes for easy reading. On page 60 there's a map showing the first voyage to and from the New World. The last three pages are in a different style and answer the question: "How do we know about Columbus?" Osborne, Mary Pope. "The Story of Christopher Columbus, Admiral of the Ocean Sea". New York: Dell Publishing (A Division of Bantam Doubleday Publication Group, Inc.), 1987. 90 pages. Illustrated by Stephen Marchesi. $2.95. ISBN 0-440-41275-7 This book is written on the third grade reading level. It is historically accurate and does not limit itself to only the first voyage of Columbus, but covers all four voyages and his final days. In addition to the cover illustration of Columbus in color, there are nine black and white illustrations by Stephen Marchesi and a map showing the routes of the four voyages of Columbus. On pages 87 and 88 there is a time-line of the events in the life of Christopher Columbus. The book highlights Columbus's spirituality--"his unswerving religious faith" (p. 27). In a publisher's note, it is stated that the book has been carefully researched from authentic biographies and writings and that no part of this biography has been fictionalized. However, we discovered one misleading fact on page 25, where the author states that the Atlantic crossing took sixty-nine days. She has just indicated that it is September 6, and the voyage from the Canary Islands was about to begin. The calculation from the Canaries is 33 or 34 days, depending on when you begin the count. The calculation from Spain, including the stopover in the Canar- ies, is from August 3 till October 12, a total of sixty-nine days. In her context, she should have used 33 days, not 69 days. Nevertheless, the work is excellent for the age group for which it is intended. Sammartino, Peter. "Columbus". Rome: Italy Italy Magazine, 1988. 121 pages. Illustrated (Classic color prints and maps). $19.95. The author wrote this book for children--we recommend it for upper intermediate and Junior High School students--although even adults will find it a thorough introduction to Columbus. From a pictorial perspective, the book has no age limitation, and, in fact, contains 78 pictures and illustrations, most of them in beautiful color and many of them seldom included in other Colum- bus books. It is written in the style of an oral storyteller. In an attempt to be brief, the author has sacrificed some interest- ing details. There are some technical flaws--such as references to maps and illustrations which are not where they are supposed to be. The author relates the basic story of Columbus, with a special final chapter entitled, "The Importance of Columbus". Besides fairly authentic factual information, Sammartino includes some moral insights for young people, primarily dealing with the problems of colonialism and the treatment of the Indians. Smith, A. G. "Easy-to-Make Columbus Discovers America Panorama". New York: Dover Publication, Inc., 1990. 16 pages. Illustrated 9 1/4" x 12 1/4" cut-out book. $2.95. ISBN 0-486-26243-X This is an educational "cut-out" book designed for young- sters six and up. Measuring 23" wide by 8 1/2" high by 7" deep, the curving three-dimensional panorama depicts Columbus' arrival in the New World. Included are paper models of the Nina, the Pinta and the Santa Maria, as well as representations of crew members, a village of thatched huts, natives engaged in everyday activities, local vegetation and animal life. Individual cut-out pieces (all printed on heavy stock) stand on bases, allowing them to be moved about. Easy-to-follow instructions explain clearly how to cut out and assemble this entertaining and instructive tableau. Consists of 6 plates in full color (24 pieces). Ventura, Pietro. "Christopher Columbus". New York: Random House, 1978. 32 pages. Illustrated. ISBN 0-394-83907-0 The illustrations in this book are outstanding. They have great educational value, because they accurately portray the complex realities of the period: the size and layout of Columbus' vessels, the makeup of the crew (indicating the various tasks of crewmembers and illustrating how many were able to fit on each ship), and the exciting oceanic adventure. Sketches of the New World are also very interesting and accurate. The text follows Columbus from Genoa (the book was originally published in Italy!) through his return to Barcelona after the first voyage. The text is brief, but accurate. Highly recommended for children of all ages. MILLERSVILLE UNIVERSITY QUINCENTENARY IN-SERVICE DAY Continuing its tradition of projects to bring significant scholarly activity to its campus, Millersville University of Pennsylvania will conduct an in-service day on Friday, April 19, 1991 devoted to broad issues and general problems facing social studies teachers in preparing for the Columbus Quincentenary. The event has received funding through a grant from the Pennsyl- vania Historical and Museum Commission. Dr. Thomas C. Tirado is project director. He is the architect of the national informa- tion clearinghouse called the Computerized Information Retrieval System (CIRS) on Columbus and the Age of Discovery. The event has been scheduled to coincide with the annual conference of the Society for Spanish and Portuguese Historical Studies being held at the university in April, 1991. During the morning session, teachers will have an opportunity to review a variety of curricu- lum and media material on Columbus and the Age of Discovery and to experiment with the CIRS system. The afternoon program will be a conference in which Professor Joseph M. Laufer, President of the International Columbian Quincentenary Alliance and Associate Professor of Arts and Humanities at Burlington County College will make the major presentation. His paper is entitled "Beyond Traditional Boundaries: A Cross-Cultural Study of the Meaning of the Quincentenary." Professor Laufer will be joined by Millersville University faculty members who will each respond to his comments. For further information on this conference, contact Dr. Thomas Tirado at Millersville University, Millersville, PA 17551-0302. CONTRASTS: DIFFERENT CHURCHES, DIFFERENT PEWS In the Summer, 1990 issue of "Discovery Five Hundred" we reported on the Columbian Quincentenary initiatives of the National Conference of Catholic Bishops. They called upon Catholics throughout the U.S. to celebrate the Fifth Centenary of Evangelization in the Americas (brochures available through this newsletter). In the same spirit, the Knights of Columbus Organi- zation has issued planning kits for the Quincentenary to all of its local councils. A brochure suggests over fifty projects for local councils, and the Supreme Council has developed a Quincen- tenary logo and a theme for the celebration. The Knights' Quincentenary Logo is shown here. The globe and land masses represent Christopher Columbus' course of discovery and the lines of communication introduced between two worlds unknown to each other. The green cross, centered on the globe, is taken from the ensign flown by Columbus on all his ships and carried to the shores of the Americas. Stretching from one hemisphere to another, it symbolizes the great missionary effort of the Catholic Church begun in the New World through Columbus' vision, courage and sustained faith. The globe rests on a banner pro- claiming the theme of the Knights of Columbus' quincentenary observance, "500 Years of Faith." In contrast to these positive efforts of commemoration, the governing board of the National Council of Churches has called the arrival of Columbus in the New World an "invasion" that resulted in the slavery and genocide of native peoples. It asked member churches to regard 1992 as a "year of reflection and repentance." The board said that "what represented newness of freedom, hope, and opportunity for some was the occasion for oppression, degradation, and genocide for others," particularly the indigenous people of America and the Africans brought here as slaves. SHORT TAKES - The ICQA has already booked a block of cabins on a new Costa Lines cruise ship (50,000 ton ship which may be named after Christopher Columbus) for their Columbus Day cruise in 1992 and which will include San Salvador on the itinerary. - The next issue of "Discovery Five Hundred" will feature Puerto Rico and the celebrations planned there for 1992 and 1993. Puerto Rico will play a major role in the U.S. cele- bration of the Quincentenary. Joseph Laufer of the ICQA conducted research there last July and will attempt to shed light on the "other" landfall controversy: exactly where did Columbus land in Puerto Rico in 1493? - We have just received our copy of the Rand McNally "Atlas of Columbus and the Great Discoveries" by Kenneth Nebenzahl. A large 14" x 11" book with 168 pages, it is a cartographic experience which will be welcomed by all Columbus aficionados. Subscribers: Renew your subscription to Discovery Five Hundred now. This is the final issue for 1990. Volume VI, 1991 will cost $21.00 for four issues. Subscribe before December 15, 1990 and pay only $18.00. ICQA-5-4.NEW