Gary, Indiana To Replace Columbus Day With Holiday Honoring Late Mayor Richard Hatcher
Gary, Indiana will be replacing Columbus Day with a holiday representing the late former Mayor Richard Gordon Hatcher. The Gary Common Council approved the move on Wednesday. Hatcher, one of the first African-American mayors of a large, U.S. city, died on Dec. 13, 2019 at the age of 86. In the late 1960s, Hatcher and Cleveland Mayor Carl Stokes wer...
Defending the Columbus Statue
Ron Pizzuti has strong opinions on public art—and the city hasn’t always agreed with them. Nearly a decade ago, the Columbus developer and renowned art collector launched a campaign to bring a new artistic landmark to the Downtown riverfront: a six-story, hourglass-shaped steel sculpture called Columbiad. Pizzuti viewed the proposal as a chance to...
Army Sergeant Louis Mirabelli
One of six children, Louis (Lou) Mirabelli was born in Chicago. His parents, Enrico and Mariane (Mirabelli) Mirabelli, emigrated from Cosenza. The growing family moved from apartment to apartment in the vicinity of Taylor Street and Hermitage. “It seemed like every time the people would raise the rent, my father would say, ‘OK, let’s pick up our fu...
Remembering Alan Canfora, who fought for accountability for May 4, 1970
Alan Canfora wouldn’t like a teary obituary. He didn’t like mawkishness, particularly sentimental descriptions of his decadeslong dedication to righting the wrongs of what he called the National Guard’s “intentional massacre” of four Kent State University students on May 4, 1970. Canfora, who spearheaded the 50-year-long movement for social justice...
IAET to honor Grimaldi, Ambrose and Pucillo
The Italian American Executives of Transportation will honor a trio of luminaries at its dinner dance on Feb. 27 at Ashton Place in Willowbrook. (708-212-1051) Frank Grimaldi will be hailed as Man of the Year at the event, and Anthony Ambrose and Anthony Pucillo will be honored as Humanitarians of the Year. The following profiles were provided by t...
Lyric presents virtual recital of lesser-known Italian gems
The Lyric Opera of Chicago will showcase lesser-known gems by beloved Italian composers in a virtual concert curated and hosted by Lyric’s Music Director Designate Enrique Mazzola and presented by the Patrick G. and Shirley W. Ryan Opera Center. With Maestro Mazzola at the piano, members of the Ryan Opera Center 2020-21 ensemble will perform songs...
Benvenuto della Comunità Italiana di St Louis al Console Thomas Botzios
La comunità italiana di St Louis dà il benvenuto al nostro nuovo Console Generale d'Italia, Thomas Botzios. Non vediamo l'ora di collaborare con lui durante il suo mandato e di dargli il benvenuto a St Louis. Thomas Botzios è nato l’11 maggio 1970 a Roma, dove si è laureato in giurisprudenza il 24 gennaio 1995. Dopo aver svolto attività di libero p...
Giorno della Memoria: A conversation with Simon Levis Sullam
In honor of Holocaust Remembrance Day, which is observed on January 27, the Dante Alighieri Society of Michigan commemorates those Italians who suffered persecution as a result of the Racial Laws imposed by the Fascist government and under the Nazi occupation during World War II. In commemoration of the Giorno della Memoria, we will talk to Profess...
Charting a new course for Columbus
I’m so proud to be writing to you as the new president of the Joint Civic Committee of Italian Americans. It’s a sacred trust I take as seriously as anything I’ve ever done. I have big plans for our venerable organization, and there will be plenty of time to share those with you in the coming months. Right now, though, we need to bear down on a tim...
The start of a beautiful friendship
On January 3, Lorenzo Fiorentino and Richard Wojewnik picked up a larger quantity of books and records from the Italian American Veterans Museum and placed them on the shelves of the recently opened Chicagoland Combined Veterans Museum, Library and Honor Wall. Fiorentino and Wojewnik are members of the American Legion Post 335 and Veterans of Forei...
Italian American WWII Hero: Leonard J. Verrilli
Launched in 2020 to remember the 75th anniversary of the end of World War II, NIAF is recognizing Italian Americans who sacrificed, served and defended peace, freedom and democracy during the war through the #IAWW2Heroes initiative. This entry is a special submission from Max Scoli, who is currently a Senior at the University of Michigan in honor...
"Calabriamerica". Nasce a Chicago il Grande Museo dell'Emigrazione Italiana in Illinois, tutto Made in Calabria
Spetterà probabilmente al Console Generale d'Italia a Chicago tenere a battesimo, nei prossimi mesi, it Grande Museo degli Italiani d'America che sta per nascere nel cuore di "Casa Italia" ai margini della City, per una iniziativa the a tutta calabrese. L'idea del Museo è infatti nata e cresciuta tra i calabresi che vivono a Chicago, e che da quasi...