The modern day anti-Columbus Day furor is justified in many eyes, but is this furor justified or is it based on beliefs and incorrect information? That is the question Silvio Laccetti, retired professor of social sciences at Stevens Institute of Technology, plans to answer at the closed, annual meeting of the Hunterdon County Italian American Heritage Society, slated for 7 p.m. Sept. 18 at Mountain View Chalet, 154 Route 173, Asbury section of Franklin.

Laccetti will hold a presentation tracing the origins of the anti-Columbus Day movement, starting with activists that pretend to have Native American roots. "The Native American movements that came out of the '60s where the attempt was to improve what were pretty miserable conditions and neglect by the U.S. government," said Laccetti, "out of that came a confluence with other people who claimed to be Native Americans but who were debunked by various tribespeople."