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 American communities in the United States) is the "Día de la Raza" ("day of the race" or the "day of the [Hispanic] people"), commemorating the first encounters of Europeans and the Native Americans. The day was first celebrated in Argentina in 1917, in Venezuela and Colombia in 1921, in Chile in 1922 and in Mexico it was first celebrated in 1928. The day was also celebrated under this title in Spain until 1957, when it was changed to the "Día de la Hispanidad" ("Hispanicity Day"), and in Venezuela it was celebrated under this title until 2002, when it was changed