Discover Italy in Rhode Island: 5 hidden enclaves that transport you to the old country
In the heart of New England, a slice of Italy thrives in the most unexpected places. Rhode Island, the smallest state in the U.S., harbors hidden Italian communities that have preserved their heritage for generations. These enclaves offer a captivating blend of Old World charm and American spirit, inviting travelers to embark on a journey through t...
Stefania Munzi Illustrates Italian-American Community
I’ve recently learned about a very talented woman. Stefania Munzi is an Italian-American artist, art teacher and children’s book illustrator and author from Connecticut with family roots to Abruzzo, Italy. She graduated Magna Cum Laude from Albertus Magnus College with a BA in Fine Arts and is a high school art teacher. After her son Joseph was bor...
Worcester Art Museum and Italy enter agreement as two objects in collection may be stolen
The Worcester Art Museum has entered into a cultural agreement with the Italian government after identifying two objects from its collection that appear to have been unlawfully removed from Italy in the 1950s. The museum transferred ownership of the two antiquities — a black-figure amphora (storage jar) and a kylix (drinking cup) — to Italy but wil...
Legislators Introduce Bill to Establish Connecticut Italian-American Heritage Commission
Connecticut Senator Ryan Fazio (36th Senate District) and Representative Chris Aniskovich (35th House District) have introduced Proposed Bill No. 1162, "An Act Establishing the Connecticut Italian-American Heritage Commission," to the General Assembly. The bill, referred to the Committee on Commerce, aims to create a commission dedicated to preserv...
Italian-American Defense League Files Appeal to the Second Circuit Court to Preserve Christopher Columbus Statue in New Haven, CT
The Italian-American Defense League (IADL) today announced that it has formally filed an appeal to the United States Court of Appeals for the Second Circuit, challenging a recent district court decision that the organization believes undermines the rights and cultural heritage of Italian-Americans, including IADL members and Plaintiff Ralph Marcare...
Get a taste of southern Italy without leaving the US at this unsung Rhode Island town
The tiny state of Rhode Island is known for various things, mainly its breathtaking coastline and beaches, gorgeous Gilded Age architecture, and spectacular Newport mansions. But it probably wouldn't be the first spot that springs to mind when you think about destinations in the U.S. with southern Italian vibes. However, it does have one place with...
Former Hartford Deputy Mayor Al Marotta dies at age 90
Former State Rep. and former Hartford Deputy Mayor Al Marotta has passed away, according to his family. His death was reported to News 8 by his daughter-in-law, the mayor of Rocky Hill, Lisa Marotta. Marotta was the son of Italian immigrants and organized the Columbus Day Parade. He was 90 years old. Marotta was an engineer for the state departmen...
Stanley Tucci’s Vermont Roots
Many of the Italians who came to Vermont in the late 1800s and early 1900s left their homeland to work in the granite, marble, and slate quarries. One of those who settled in Northfield in 1904, at the age of 15, was Stanislau Tucci. Hailing from the small town of Marzi in Cosenza, Stanislau learned to carve stone in the Northfield sheds. He met an...
Boston’s Paul Posti went from war hero to chef to celebrities
Paul Posti may not be a household name but his decorated career as a war hero and then later chef makes him worthy of being so. In 2023, close friend George Mather of Raynham honored the former World War II B-17 Flying Fortress tail gunner by writing and publishing the memoir “Posti: War Hero, Hollywood Insider, Chef to Celebrities, and Redemption....
The Festival and Gala of Italian Creativity in Boston
The Consulate General of Italy in Boston celebrated the culmination of the 8-day Festival of Italian Creativity at a Gala dinner on November 22 at the SoWa Power Station. The event, organized with the support of the October Italian American Heritage Month Committee of Massachusetts, commended the vibrant legacy of Boston’s Italian American communit...
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...