Columbus Day "Cristoforo Colombo" naming after him many civilian and military ships, like the ocean liner SS "Cristoforo Colombo". Since 1987, Spain has celebrated the anniversary of Columbus's arrival in the Americas as its "Fiesta Nacional" or "National Day." Previously Spain had celebrated the day as "Día de la Hispanidad", emphasizing Spain's ties with "Hispanidad", the international Hispanic community. In 1981 a royal decree established the "Día de la Hispanidad" as a national holiday. However, in 1987 the name was changed to "Fiesta Nacional", and October 12 became one of two national celebrations, along with Constitution Dayon December 6. Spain's "national day"
Columbus, Georgia the Columbus Ladies Memorial Association’s call to observe a day annually to decorate soldiers’ graves inaugurated a movement first in the south and then in the north to honor the soldiers who died during the Civil War. With the expansion of the city, leaders who promoted establishing a university, founded Columbus College, a two-year institution which later was developed as Columbus State University, now a comprehensive center of higher learning. The city government became consolidated with the county in 1971, the first of its kind in Georgia (and one of only 16 in the U.S. at the time). Expanding on