The US State Department promotes an Islamic embellishment on American history: Islamic Influence Runs Deep in American Culture. (Hat tip: twostellas.)

Islamic influences may date back to the very beginning of American history. It is likely that Christopher Columbus, who discovered America in 1492, charted his way across the Atlantic Ocean with the help of an Arab navigator.

The unsupported assertion that Christopher Columbus had a Muslim navigator is fairly common on Islamist web sites, but I’ve never seen it verified (or even echoed) by any reputable historical source. Yet here we have the US State Department lending its authority to this questionable claim.

Can I get an aaarrrggghhh?