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 Day strain of criticism of Columbus Day focuses on the character of Columbus himself. In time for the 2004 observation of the day, the final volume of a compendium of Columbus-era documents was published by the University of California, Los Angeles's Medieval and Renaissance Center. It stated that Columbus, while a brilliant mariner, exploited and enslaved the indigenous population. Spelman College historian Howard Zinn described some of the details of how Columbus personally ordered the enslavement and mutilation of the native Arawak people in a bid to repay his investors. Journalist and media critic Norman Solomon reflects, in "Columbus Day: A