The statue was dedicated on Columbus Day 1979, at a ceremony attended by Stivaletta, the Italian American community of Boston, Mayor Kevin White and former governor John Volpe.

He presented to the audience of 200 spectators a man wearing a rubber devil mask, explaining that he was a caricature of the Ayatollah Khomeini.

[7] In December 1981, Stivaletta's organization Wake Up America burned the flag of the Soviet Union in front of the statue.

After the latter incident an anti-colonialist manifesto was posted to the Independent Media Center website, taking responsibility for the act.

"[14] In October 2020, Mayor Walsh announced that the statue would be moved to a North Margin Street affordable housing development under construction by the Knights of Columbus.

Walsh also announced that a sculpture “highlighting the Italian immigrants of the North End,” would take the place of the Columbus statue.