Sinking Columbus

Sinking Columbus describes and analyzes the failure of the 1992 commemoration of the 500th anniversary of Christopher Columbus's voyage from Spain to the New World, once universally hailed as the discovery of America. Despite this failure, the book recognizes the Quincentenary as an important and illuminating event in the recent political and cultural history of the United States, Europe, and Latin America.The authors draw upon their personal experiences as both organizers and observers of the celebration to explain how and why, in a few short years, the Columbian myth was transformed from a romantic, Eurocentric tradition into a postmodern, multicultural critique of New World history.The book reviews the U.S. Jubilee Commission, the failed Chicago World's Fair, ethnic controversies in the United States, and various international efforts (especially in Spain, Italy, and Latin America) to commemorate an anniversary whose meaning changed drastically from the time initial planning began until the year it finally took place.Chronologically, the book ranges over the cultural history of the past century as well as the past decade. Geographically it focuses on the United States, Spain, Italy, Mexico, and the Dominican Republic. Ultimately, an underlying theme emerges -- that the failure of the official Quincentenary is offset by fact that the anniversary provoked and encouraged a healthy, widespread discussion of major issues such as colonialism, ethnicity, diversity, and the place of indigenous peoples in contemporary societies.