Read the government’s past updates on its “Hurricane Help for Schools” program (the site is no longer updated past August 2006). Private schools and religious schools are eligible for aid.

The National Council of Churches adopted a resolution called “A Faithful Response” in 1990 calling the 500th anniversary of Columbus’ first landing and “the painful aspects of the American history of racism.”

Read a History article about the history behind Columbus day and what it means to Americans today.

Read a March 6, 2011 article about the “quintessential American issues of free speech and ethnic pride” against the Columbus Day parade debate in Denver, Colorado.  

Thomas E. FitzGerald is professor of church history and historical theology at Hellenic College and Holy Cross Greek Orthodox School of Theology in Brookline, Mass.

Read an NPR investigation of what Columbus Day means for Native Americans.

A guide to anonymous blogging in particularly oppressed countries, in Arabic, Farsi, English and Mandarin.

Ilyse Hogue is president of the Proactive Policy Institute of NARAL Pro-Choice America, formerly the National Abortion and Reproductive Rights Action League.

Oct. 9 each year also honors Nordic explorer Leif Erickson, since a 2005 proclamation by President Bush.