A Most Unusual Disaster: Boston’s Great Molasses Flood Resurfaces
On January 15, 1919, Boston’s North End — a neighborhood rich in Italian American heritage — was the site of a catastrophe that would become infamous in history: the Great Molasses Flood. A massive steel tank containing 2.3 million gallons of molasses burst, sending a 25-foot wave of the sticky substance through the streets at speeds up to 35 miles...
Derby (CT) Welcomes Italian Delegation To City
Officials from the City of Derby on Nov. 18 bid a warm welcome to a visiting delegation from Derby’s sister city of Puglianello, Campania, Italy. About 50 residents gathered at J.R. Payden Field House on Chatfield Street for a welcoming ceremony that kicked off with the singing of both the national anthem and the Italian national anthem by Alderwom...
Italian-American Defense League Files Federal Appeal to Restore Columbus Statue in Connecticut
New Haven's Columbus statue, installed in 1892 by Connecticut's Italian American community, was removed in 2020 by jittery civic leaders who rushed to dismantle historic monuments in a misguided effort to project inclusivity. Such decisions could be overturned as the Italian-American Defense League pursues a landmark ruling through a federal appeal...
Boston’s Anthony Martignetti was immortalized in a spaghetti commercial
Fifty-five years ago, 12-year-old Anthony Martignetti of Boston’s North End became the unlikely star of a television commercial that would prove so popular that it ran for an incredible 13 years. The young Italian immigrant is seen sprinting through the streets of the city as his mother beckons from the window of the family’s apartment on Powers Co...
Italians During Wartime America
When: Sat, Nov 23, 2024 at 3:00 PM - Where: Farmington Library, 6 Monteith Dr, Farmington, CT, 06032 - More info here Mary Elizabeth Basile Chopas is the granddaughter of Italian immigrants who settled in Farmington, CT in the 1930s. Her presentation will discuss the experiences of Italians living in the United States during World War II, with spec...
Joseph P. Campanelli to be honored with 'Creativity Award' by Consulate General of Italy as part of a week-long series of cultural events in November
Needham (MA) Bank Chairman, President and CEO Joseph P. Campanelli will be honored next month by the Consulate General of Italy in Boston as part of the Consulate's week-long 'Festival of Italian Creativity.' The series of events November 14-22 are being hosted by the Italian Consulate in cooperation with the October Italian Heritage Month Committe...
Miss US ITALIA Pageant to be held in Rhode Island in February 2025
Across the United States, there are over 18 million individuals of Italian descent. According to the National Italian American Foundation, Rhode Island boasted a population of 199,077 Italian Americans in 2024, making it home to one of the highest per capita population of Italian Americans in the nation. Celebrated for its vibrant Italian American...
Sott’Acqua - Splendor of Florence Festival Returns to Providence
Providence, Rhode Island and Florence, Italy have more in common than you might think. Residents of both share a love of art and music, historic architecture, and an outstanding culinary scene. Unfortunately, both cities also share a history of devastating floods and remain at high risk for repeated incidents in this era of climate change. This mon...
Register for the Festival of Italian Creativity in Boston Nov 14 - Nov 21
Dear friends, I am pleased to announce that the program of the Festival of Italian Creativity is online! See Full Program Here. We have organized a number of activities to promote Italian creativity in its various expressions, from culture (music, cinema, theatre) to science and technology, research and innovation, food and gastronomy, including It...
Boston City Hall lit up green to commemorate 10th anniversary of Mayor Menino’s passing
On the tenth anniversary of his passing, Boston City Hall was lit up green to honor the life of Boston’s longest-serving mayor Tom Menino. Mayor Michelle Wu took to Instagram Wednesday to honor one of the city’s most beloved mayors. “To know Mayor Menino was to see how much he loved Boston and its people,” Mayor Wu said. “Mayor Menino’s big heart a...
Splendor of Florence Is Scheduled to Return to Providence
In 1999, the Splendor of Florence event may have done more to put Providence on the map than any single event. Press coverage was global. The success of Joyce Acciaioli Rudge’s first festival in 1999 in Providence became the blueprint for subsequent city-wide festivals in Philadelphia and New York as well as art and photo exhibits throughout the US...
‘Sono Lino,’ About Glassblowing’s GOAT, Wins Top Documentary Award At Chelsea FF, Readies For Next Newport Film Festival Screening
In the world of sport there is constant debate over who qualifies as the Greatest of All Time. In basketball, is it Jordan or LeBron? In soccer, Messi or Maradona? In Formula 1 racing, Lewis Hamilton or Ayrton Senna? In the world of glassblowing, however, there is no debate. The GOAT title unquestionably goes to an amiable Italian by the name of Li...