Christopher Columbus remains a central figure in American history: his name has been worked into numerous cities across the United States, ships, universities – even a space shuttle. And from an early age, schoolchildren learn about the voyages of the Niña, Pinta, and Santa María. But many Americans have also questioned Columbus’ legacy - should we venerate a man who symbolizes European colonization, and began the decimation of native American populations that would continue for centuries? With another Columbus Day upon us, this episode of BackStory looks back at the controversial Columbian legacy. When and why did Americans begin to revere the Italian explorer? Who has seized on his legacy, and who has contested it?

Guests include:

• Tony Horwitz, author, A Voyage Long and Strange (2008), on his search for the “real” Christopher Columbus.
• Rolena Adorno, Yale University, on Washington Irving’s massive biography of Columbus, published in 1828, and its role in creating the heroic Columbus myth.
• Joanne Mancini, NUI Maynooth, on an alternative “discovery” story promoted by Norwegian-Americans in the 19th Century, and the battle for “Leif Erikson Day.”
• Ellen Berg, University of Maryland, on the symbolic figure of "Columbia" and her popularity in American history.