Christopher Columbus Monument

He was a 41 year old Italian explorer when he sailed on the first of four voyages from Spain across the Atlantic Ocean to the new world of the Americas. Wikipedia states that «those voyages, and his efforts to establish permanent settlements on the island of Hispaniola, initiated the Spanish colonization of the New World.»
This monument on the grounds of the Indiana Statehouse is dedicated to the man who is commonly referred to as the one who discovered America. The monument was dedicated in 1920 and refurbished in 1956. It’s a head and shoulders bust of Columbus sitting on a stone pedestal engraved with pictures of the indigenous peoples Columbus found in that New World.
There are two engraved plaques that read:
Born in Genoa, Italy 1451. Discovered America October 12, 1492. This land of opportunity and freedom was thus preserved for humanity by the perennial genius abiding in the Italian race. Refurbished by Knights of Columbus 1956
Erected A.D. 1920 by the Italians of Indianapolis
The Columbus Quincentenary Jubilee Commission of Indiana Inc., in behalf of Indiana’s Italian — American community dedicates this plaque to the celebration of the
500^th Anniversary of the Columbus Discovery of America
May the genius abiding in the Italian race encourage tolerance and acceptance of all cultures as America’s ultimate contribution to humanity.