The story of why in 1892 America began to celebrate Columbus Day, which subsequently led to the creation of more than 100 Columbus statues throughout our country, is a tragic example of the mistreatment of immigrants that needs to be told. After years of relative dormancy, the legacy of Christopher Columbus is once again making headlines in Ohio’s capital. 

The Columbus Parks and Recreation Department was sued by an Italian American who says the city demonstrated undue bias when it renamed Columbus Square to Warren Square in 2022. The lawsuit contends that the change violates city rules and taps into an undercurrent of intolerance toward Italian American iconography.