Boston's Columbus Day Parade in 1971 depicted through stunning vintage photographs.

Columbus Day is a national holiday in many countries of the Americas and elsewhere, and a federal holiday in the United States, which officially celebrates the anniversary of Christopher Columbus's arrival in the Americas on October 12, 1492.

Columbus Day parade in Boston, Massachusetts in October 1971

The landing is celebrated as Columbus Day in the United States, but the name varies internationally. The Dominican Republic celebrates this day as “The Discovery of the Americas”. In some Latin American countries, October 12 is known as Día de la Raza or “Day of the Race”. This is the case for Mexico, which inspired Jose Vasconcelos’ book celebrating the Day of the Iberoamerican race. Some countries such as Spain refer to the holiday as Día de la Hispanidad and Fiesta Nacional de España, where it coincides with the religious festivity of La Virgen del Pilar.

Since 2009, Peru has celebrated Día de los pueblos originarios y el diálogo intercultural (“Indigenous Peoples and Intercultural Dialogue Day”). Belize and Uruguay celebrate it as Pan American Day and Día de las Américas (“Day of the Americas”). Giornata Nazionale di Cristoforo Colombo or Festa Nazionale di Cristoforo Colombo is the formal name of the celebration in Italy as well as in Little Italys around the world.

These amazing photos were taken by Nick Dewolf that show Columbus Day parade in Boston, Massachusetts in October 1971.