Mid-Century Migration: The Italians of North Jersey
I am excited to share my next planned book! This project will focus on the immigration of Italians to North Jersey, post-WWII. After the 1924 Immigration Act was implemented, immigration from Italy was nearly eliminated. Discrimination against Italian immigrants continued throughout WWII. Every Italian was considered an enemy of the state. As a res...
Italians in America – Our Immigrant Stories: Instinct to thrive overcomes Great Depression, fire, and the hardship of discrimination
All four of Nick Cappelli Jr.’s grandparents are immigrants. Nick’s father, Nicholas Emidio Cappelli Senior’s parents are from the Marche region while his mom Dolores’s family is from Avellino and immigrated here circa 1905. Like so many other Italian immigrants of that time, Nick Seniors dad (Nick’s grandfather Emidio Cappelli), found housing with...
Rare, Italian bell installed in memory of longtime parishioner
Its been almost one year since a longtime parishioner of Our Lady of Peace Church in Erie (PA) passed away. She was involved in many different ways over several decades at the parish in Millcreek. But there was one thing she hoped for, yet never got to enjoy in person. So, her husband and son made sure it happened in her memory. Nicholas Marinelli...
The St. Bart's Festival in Scotch Plains (NJ) on Labor Day Weekend
The 51st annual Labor Day Italian Festival returns on Friday, Aug. 29, 2025, in Scotch Plains, NJ. Hosted by the Scotch Plains-Fanwood Chapter of UNICO, St. Bartholomew's Church, and St. Bartholomew's Academy, the festival has been an annual tradition honoring San Nicola di Bari, the patron saint of the town of Montazzoli, Italy, since 1974. The fe...
12th Annual St. Anthony’s Italian Festival in Glassboro, NJ
The vibrant sights, sounds, and flavors of southern Italy will return to Downtown Glassboro on Saturday, September 13, 2025, for the 12th Annual St. Anthony’s Italian Festival, a beloved cultural celebration hosted in partnership with St. Anthony’s Mutual Aid Society. The Italian Festival is a showcase of Glassboro’s rich Italian-American heritage,...
Italian Festival to Benefit Veterans Set for September 13 at Manahawkin Elks, NJ
The Manahawkin Elks Lodge #2340 will host its first Italian Festival: A Slice of San Gennaro on Saturday, Sept. 13, offering a vibrant afternoon of food, music, and community in support of local veterans. The free public event will take place from 12 p.m. to 5 p.m. at the Manahawkin Elks Lodge, located at 520 Hilliard Blvd., Manahawkin, NJ. Festiv...
'Rocky' statue coming to Philadelphia International Airport
The "Rocky" statue at the Philadelphia Museum of Art is one of the city's most iconic attractions - and soon, travelers arriving in Philadelphia will be greeted by another. A new 10-foot-tall statue of the famed movie character, Rocky Balboa, will be installed at PHL. It's one of three original castings of the statue created by artist A. Thomas Sch...
Philadelphia agrees to return Frank Rizzo statue to monument committee, clearing way for relocation
The city of Philadelphia has agreed to return the Frank Rizzo statue to the Frank Rizzo Monument Committee. The statue of the former mayor and police commissioner was removed from public view overnight in June 2020 from outside the municipal services building after being vandalized during protests over police brutality that was sparked by the death...
Before Bloomfield, Pittsburgh had multiple Little Italys now lost to history
August in Pittsburgh means it’s time for Little Italy Days, the annual four-day Bloomfield celebration spotlighting on the city’s rich Italian heritage. Bloomfield, though, was just one of several Little Italys that sprouted in Pittsburgh in the early years of the 20th century. Italians comprised one of Pittsburgh’s largest immigrant groups. Along...
Andrew Anthony Lioi, WWII hero and Baltimore community leader, dies
Andrew Anthony Lioi, a decorated World War II veteran who landed at Anzio, Italy, and returned to fighting after being severely wounded, died of heart failure July 25 at the Oak Crest Senior Living Community. He was 100. Born in St. Andrea, Calabria, Italy, Mr. Lioi was the son of Bruno Lioi and Rosaria Addino. After immigrating to the U.S. as a ch...
An Italian Festival Revived in New Jersey, Sept. 6
The faithful are invited to attend a celebration in honor of Our Lady of the Torrent on Saturday, September 6th, at St. Aloysius Church in Caldwell, New Jersey, with a High Mass in the Extraordinary Form starting at 11 am, followed by a procession and a light reception with a display of associated memorabilia. For more information, or to RSVP by cl...
“Fedeltà: Soldati. Prigionieri.” Film Screening
Wednesday, September 3, 2025. 6:30 PM - 8:30 PM. Heinz History Center, 1212 Smallman Street, Pittsburgh PA. Free with advance registration here. “Fedeltà: Soldati. Prigionieri.” chronicles the experiences of Italian Prisoners of War, mostly captured in North Africa and Sicily, who were sent to Letterkenny Army Depot outside Chambersburg, Pa., durin...