How should historians present christopher columbus to future generations of americans

Our civilization and our society wouldn’t exist without the discovery (yes! discovery) of the Americas and their colonization by Europeans. Some may insist that the Indians discovered America. But merely being there is no discovery. Discovery entails knowing where you are. The earlier Viking "discovery" of North America, while a nice subject for History Channel specials, doesn’t matter very much, because the Vikings didn’t realize what they’d found and didn’t really care. Columbus discovered America, and all that has arisen since in the western hemisphere is a direct result. Assuming we are glad America exists — and maybe the pamphleteers aren’t — we should be glad Columbus took the time to discover it.

Historians should show that he actually contributed to the genocide of millions of Native Americans.