PROCLAMATION 6040—OCT. 6, 1989 103 STAT. 3123 IN WITNESS WHEREOF, I have hereunto set my hand this fifth day of October, in the year of our Lord nineteen hundred and eighty-nine, and of the Independence of the United States of America the two hundred and fourteenth. ^ GEORGE BUSH Proclamation 6040 of October 6, 1989 Columbus Day, 1989 By the President of the United States of America A Proclamation On Columbus Day, we pause as a Nation to honor the skilled and cou- rageous navigator who discovered the Americas and, in so doing, brought to our ancestors the promise of the New World. In honoring Christopher Colmnbus, we also pay tribute to the generations of brave and bold Americans who, like him, have overcome great odds in order to chart the unknown. For nearly half a millennium, Americans have followed the example of this great explorer, challenging the fi:ontiers of knowledge. Throughout our Nation's history, the spirit of discovery has been demonstrated by scholar and student, expert and novice, alike. While the efforts of men such as Lewis and Clark, Thomas Edison, Eli Whitney, and Alexander Graham Bell are well known, we should also remember the thousands of pioneers who quietly tamed the American wilderness. With courage, ingenuity, hard work, and sacrifice, these men and women helped to build a Nation. Generations of American entrepreneurs and business people have like- wise accepted great risks in order to piu'sue their dreams. Their vision and initiative, allowed to flourish in this land of liberty, have helped the United States grow strong and prosperous. From test pilots and astronauts to scientists and researchers in virtual- ly every field of endeavor, Americans have continued to explore not only the wonders of our planet, but also the great mysteries of space. Like Christopher Colmnbus, all of these Americans have faced the un- known, not with a reckless sense of adventure, but with a great sense of purpose and opportxmity. Just a few years from now, in 1992, the United States will commemo- rate the 500th anniversary of the arrival of Columbus on these shores and proudly participate in events honoring this great explorer. A number of educational and commemorative events and programs are also being planned by the members of the Christopher Colmnbus Quin- centenary Jubilee Commission, which was established by the Congress in 1984. Americans of Italian and Spanish descent will have special reason to join in this quincentenary celebration. As we reflect on the achieve- ments of this famous son of Genoa, and the generous support he re- ceived from Spanish monarchs Ferdinand V and Isabella I, we are also
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