NEW YORK -- The statue of Christopher Columbus standing atop a column in Manhattan has been added to the National Register of Historic Places.
Democratic Gov. Andrew Cuomo announced the listing on Thursday.
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He says the National Park Service listed the monument in November after a nomination from the state Historic Preservation office.
The statue, in Manhattan's Columbus Circle, was put up in 1892 through the efforts of the Italian-American community as they attempted to overcome prejudice and assimilate into American society.
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But others have spoken out against it, saying the statue of the explorer represents genocide and enslavement against indigenous peoples.
The statue was among those considered by a city commission tasked with evaluating how to deal with controversial sculptures. The commission recommended adding historical markers to give more context.
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