NJ woman gets drive-by parade for 109th birthday
A New Jersey woman enjoyed her 109th birthday in style Sunday. Mary Ruggieri Leonardi’s birthday is actually Monday, but a caravan of cars drove by the Seacrest Village assisted living facility in Little Egg Harbor to celebrate her day, WPVI reported. “I don’t believe this is happening,” Leonardi told the television station. “It’s like a drea...
New book in production - Italians in Baltimore publication date November 2, 2020
Italian immigrants flocked to America beginning in the mid-1800s unaware of the hardships ahead, much like the harsh conditions they left behind in Italy. Despite discrimination, scarce employment, hunger, and drudgery, they courageously established trades, businesses, parishes, and solid family life in neighborhood enclaves nearly identical to the...
Italian-American groups to host ‘Rediscover Columbus’ NJ event
Amid weeks of renewed controversy regarding the fate of Christopher Columbus statues around New Jersey, an event aims to show support for the explorer’s meaning to Italian-Americans, according to one of the groups hosting it. The Facebook page of Roma Sports Caffe has announced a “Rediscover Columbus” event being planned by Roma Sports Club, UNICO...
Philadelphia Historical Commission Votes In Favor Of Removing Christopher Columbus Statue From Marconi Plaza
The Philadelphia Historical Commission voted in favor of removing the Christopher Columbus Statue from Marconi Plaza on Friday. Though the statue has sat in Marconi Plaza for more than a century, the controversy surrounding it reached a peak this year. On Friday, the Philadelphia Historical Commission voted 10-2 to have the 144-year-old statue remo...
Why the Christopher Columbus statue matters to Philly
On Wednesday, July 22, Philadelphia held hearings on whether the statue of Christopher Columbus should be removed from its place of prominence and honor in the heart of the city’s Italian-American community to a “storage facility.” Many voices were heard, many stories were told, and the statue still stands. Regardless of what the city decides, eit...
‘What’s next?’ Rage greets city plan to remove Marconi Plaza’s Christopher Columbus statue
Sharp cultural divides over racism, history and police violence took center stage at the first public hearing on Mayor Jim Kenney’s proposal to remove a statue of Christopher Columbus from a South Philadelphia park. For more than five hours, a diverse cast of Philadelphians debated over Zoom the city’s case for removing the statue — a conversation...
History and context of Lancaster’s Christopher Columbus bust crucial
The recent publicity surrounding the call for removal of the Christopher Columbus bust in Lancaster city prompts me to provide a local and historical background for having this bust created and installed here. In the 1970s, an Italian immigrant, Antonio Palumbo, had an idea to leave a legacy of the contributions of Italian Americans to his adopted...
Oppose Any Attempts to Rename Columbus Park and/or remove Columbus Statue in Hackensack NJ
The Hackensack Chapter of UNICO National, its officers, members, and Board of Directors, along with Italian-American concerned citizens of Hackensack, oppose any or all attempts to rename Columbus Park in Hackensack, NJ and/or remove the Statue of Christopher Columbus in said park. In 1940, while sons and daughters of Italian immigrants were joinin...
Philadelphia Art Commission hears from city about removing Christopher Columbus statue
City leaders made their case Wednesday for the removal of the Christopher Columbus statue in South Philadelphia. The city cited public safety concerns and feedback from the community when it asked the Art Commission for approval to take down the statue at Marconi Plaza during a virtual hearing. They are looking to remove the statue from its current...
Scotch Plains Votes to Keep Columbus Monument in Place
In a 5-0 vote, the Scotch Plains Township Council agreed to keep the Christopher Columbus monument in its place outside the Municipal Building on Park Avenue. Prior to the meeting, a large group of Italian American community leaders marched from the Italian American Club to the Municipal Building to show their support for the Columbus statue. Speak...
Baltimore's Italian American community plans new statue to honor Columbus
Weeks after protesters toppled a statue of Christopher Columbus and threw it into Baltimore's Inner Harbor, members of the city's Italian American community are developing a plan to reproduce the marble monument so it can be displayed in a more secure location. Grand Knight Santo Grasso, of the Knights of Columbus St. Vincent Pallotti Council No. 1...
Scotch Plains Italian American Community Plans March in Support of Columbus Monument on Tues, July 21
Members of Scotch Plains’ Italian American community are planning a march on Tuesday, July 21, at 6:00 p.m. from the Italian American Club (1976 Valley Ave., Scotch Plains) to the Municipal Building on Park Ave. in support of the Columbus monument. Three groups are helping to organize the event: the Italian American Club; UNICO (the Italian America...