Columbus Day Became a Federal Holiday the Same Way as Martin Luther King Day and Juneteenth

Symbols instead of justice: the real story of three American holidays

Jazz Guy from New Jersey, United States, CC BY 2.0 <https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by/2.0>, via Wikimedia Commons

To understand how Columbus Day came into existence, you must appreciate the role of David Hennessy, Jr. He was as integral to Columbus Day as George Floyd was to Juneteenth.

Hennessy was born in 1858 in New Orleans, Louisiana, to Irish Catholic parents. His father, David Sr., fought for the Union during the Civil War and later served in the Metropolitan Police, a Reconstruction-era force that protected the rights of freedmen. David Sr. was murdered in 1869 by another policeman, leaving a mark on young Hennessy's life.

Hennessy, Jr., joined the New Orleans Police Department as a messenger boy in 1870. As a teenager, he gained attention for single-handedly capturing two thieves. By the age of 20, he had been promoted to detective.

In 1881, he made national headlines by capturing Giuseppe Esposito, a notorious Sicilian bandit wanted for kidnapping and extortion. This cemented his reputation as a tough, capable officer.

In 1882, Hennessy was tried (and acquitted) for the killing of a rival police official during a feud over promotions. In 1888, Hennessy became the superintendent…