We should not have a “Columbus Day;” the whole idea of it was contrived on mythology, some historical inaccuracy and speculative mind-reading of a historical figure. I’m principally concerned with not repeating these mistakes, and wish to recover what we can from the mythologies of Columbus-haters and Columbus-lovers, both of which are addressing only a phantom of a man whose entire identity, let alone motives, are lost to time. Here I try to dispel some phantoms.

Growing up, I remember learning in Elementary school that in 1492 Christopher Columbus was an explorer who sailed the Atlantic ocean and discovered the Americas. In my history book, he was painted as...