Americans by a 2-to-1 margin admire Christopher Columbus and think it’s a good idea to have a holiday named after the Italian explorer, a new poll released Tuesday reveals. The survey conducted by Marist College — in concert with the Knights of Columbus — found that 56 percent of Americans have a favorable view of Columbus while 28 percent had an unfavorable view, with the rest unsure.

Likewise, 57 percent said it’s a good idea to have a holiday named after Columbus while 29 percent said it’s a bad idea and the rest had no opinion. Columbus is revered for helping discover America. Italian-Americans in particular consider him a symbol of progress and cultural pride.