42nd Annual West Virginia Italian Heritage Festival to be held virtually
This year’s West Virginia Italian Heritage Festival will be held virtually for the first time in its history, festival officials announced on Thursday. A press release issued by Tyler Terango, Chairman of the Board for the West Virginia Italian Heritage Festival, stated that the 42nd Annual West Virginia Italian Heritage Festival will be held as a...
Gottheimer Blasted for Racist Social Media Portrayal of Frank Pallotta
Yesterday, Josh Gottheimer’s campaign released a graphic on social media attacking his opponent’s interaction with people “not wearing masks or social distancing.” The graphic contains a doctored photo of Republican Frank Pallotta with his face darkened and a certain shadow cast over him that has been labeled racist and xenophobic. Pallotta’s campa...
In weighing fate of Pittsburgh’s Columbus statue, first a disagreement over who decides
More than 300 Pittsburgh residents reached out to the Art Commission at or before a virtual meeting Wednesday to discuss the controversial Christopher Columbus statue in Schenley Park and calls for its removal. And, after three hours and disagreement over whether the six-member commission or Mayor Bill Peduto had the final call on the statue’s fate...
National group demands Little Italy's Columbus statue be restored
An organization on a mission to preserve Columbus statues across the nation visited Baltimore Wednesday. "What you're doing now is basically taking away the heritage, culture, and history of Italian Americans throughout the world," said Raul Montes. The organization "Hands Off Christopher Columbus" is demanding the Columbus statue that was torn dow...
Bill to rename Columbus Obelisk in Northeast Baltimore for police victims heads to City Council after debate
Legislation that would rename the Columbus Obelisk monument to honor victims of police brutality is heading to the Baltimore City Council after it was unanimously approved by the city’s Housing and Urban Affairs Committee on Tuesday. The committee, sans councilmen Bill Henry and Isaac “Yitzy” Schleifer, voted 5-0 to approve the bill, which wo...
National Grandparents Day
On September 13, I will celebrate my Nonno and Nonna’s Day. Every year I go to Holy Cross Cemetery to put a bouquet of red and yellow roses at their grave site. This is my way of showing love and respect to my father’s parents. I have never had the pleasure of meeting my beloved “Nonno and Nonna.” They died before I was born. Family members have sh...
Italian American Police Society of NJ Joins Law Enforcement to Provide Vital School Supplies to Elementary School Students
During this unprecedented health care crisis, members of the Italian American Police Society of New Jersey will join our brothers and sisters from Blacks in Law Enforcement Serving the Community, Union County Hispanic Law Enforcement Association and the First Responder Children’s Foundation to assist elementary school students in need as they retur...
Hoboken's Feast of the Madonna Dei Martiri to Take Place, But No Italian Festival
Since 1927, the Feast of Madonna Dei Martiri has taken place in Hoboken, marked by a procession of the 800-lb statue through the streets. This year that tradition will continue, though modified for concerns over COVID-19. The 94th Annual Feast of the Madonna Dei Martiri will take place at St. Francis Church in Hoboken, with novenas held nightly at...
Protect Pittsburgh’s Schenley Park Columbus Statue Before It’s Too Late
Dozens of Italian immigrants were rounded up without just cause in 1890 following the murder of New Orleans Police Chief David Hennessy. Nineteen immigrants were indicted and nine went to trial, resulting in six acquittals and three mistrials. About 10,000 people, enraged by the judicial outcome, gathered outside of Parish Prison where the immigran...
Jersey City Columbus Day Battle
After seeing several online petitions circulating calling for the removal of the Jersey City Christopher Columbus Statue and calls to rename Christopher Columbus Drive, Jersey City Columbus Day Parade President, Nicholas J. Grillo and a dozen other local Italian American Leaders sent a letter to the Mayor and Council Members of Jersey City explain...
Columbus Day is still an official city holiday in Philly. Here’s why.
In the nation’s capital, there is no Columbus Day. The D.C. Council voted to replace it with Indigenous Peoples’ Day in 2019. And the capital is certainly not alone. D.C. joined an already-growing list of places that no longer observe the day, even though it remains a federal holiday. Columbus Day falls on the second Monday of October, commemoratin...
A Command Performance
I clearly remember the first time I met Sam Nasuti. (Pictured in red jacket with his buddy Fred). It was at his “big brother’s” birthday party in January of 2014. The party took place at the Masonic Village in Burlington New Jersey. Sam was one of the honored guests who was there to celebrate, his pal, Fred Frett’s 99th birthday. “Uncle Fred” is...