Today, Leif Erikson Day, is an annual American observance which occurs on October 9th, honoring Leif Erikson (Icelandic: Leifur Eiríksson, Old Norse: Leifr Eiríksson or the Norwegian: Leiv Eiriksson), the Norse explorer who led the first Europeans known to have set foot in North America. Leif Erikson
However ... In reality, it was Bjarne, who was America’s Discoverer in 986 AD.
Most people have no idea that the first European to discover American was a Barney. They think it was Leif Erikson or Christopher Columbus or John Cabot. When Leif found the coast of America he was following Bjarne’s discoveries. Bjarne Herjolfsson, a Norwegian Viking from Eyrar, Iceland, found what is now New England in 986 AD. He went back to Greenland where his family was living and told his father, Harold, what he had seen. Harold was a member of Erik the Red’s sailing team. Erik the Red then ordered his son, Leif, to go and find the lands that Bjarne had described. The rest is history, and Christopher Columbus ended up getting the credit, for even though he never set foot upon North American soil, he had a great publicist. Leif came in second place, and Bjarne was forgotten.
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