IAP Ep. 327: Legacy of Little Italy with Ernie Rossi
We are thrilled to welcome Mr. Ernie Rossi of E. Rossi Company to the newly minted Red Sauce Studio in the heart of Little Italy. With a legacy dating back to 1910, Ernie shares captivating stories about his family’s significant contributions to Neapolitan music in America. From his grandfather’s early days publishing sheet music to producing recor...
Italyfe-Comites, Civil Rights Committee
“After gaining National Media Coverage, Italian Associations return as key players at the 2024 NYC Pride Parade" Com.It.Es. of NY and ITALYFE Celebrate Diversity and Equality. Click here to join the parade. Pride 2024 Theme: "Reflect. Empower. Unite" This year, the New York City Pride Parade will once again feature a vibrant celebration of Italian...
106th Mount Carmel Feast kicks off next week
The Mount Carmel Feast returns to St. Anthony’s Church in Watertown (NY) next weekend. Frank Gorri appeared on 7 News at Noon on Thursday to talk about the festival. Watch his interview above. The Our Lady of Mount Carmel Feast started in 1916 with the primarily Italian families at St. Anthony’s Church and has grown into an event the whole city enj...
IAP 326: And so, our new chapter begins in Little Italy
Join us in our latest episode as we celebrate the Italian American community and culture from our new Red Sauce Studio in Little Italy, Manhattan. We continue to look towards the future and are excited to see what new adventures we will have with our brand new studio. In this episode we give thanks to those who have helped us get to where we are to...
Bronx bluesman and self-proclaimed ‘ferocious Catholic’: Dion DiMucci considers his legacy
Catholic that I am, I must begin by confessing: I was more than a little bit starstruck. As a child growing up in northeastern Pennsylvania, about 100 miles from New York City, sitting on the floor of my family’s living room and listening to the records my older brothers and sisters would play on the big Magnavox stereo—records like “The Wanderer,”...
NY State's highest court denies appeal to stop removal of Columbus statue in Syracuse
New York’s highest court dealt a blow to efforts trying keep the Columbus monument in downtown Syracuse. The Court of Appeals Thursday denied the Columbus Monument Corporation’s appeal of a lower court decision that cleared the way for the city to remove the statue. Mayor Ben Walsh says the ruling is consistent with the city’s firm belief that remo...
Endicott’s St. Anthony’s Church prepares for 5,000 guests for Italian Feast Days
Endicott’s St. Anthony’s Church’s Italian Feast Days are back for the third decade and organizers have been working since January to make it perfect. “This great crew of volunteers has been here,” Head of Food Court Volunteer and Coordinator Michael Romeo said. “Dedicating their entire week to this and we’re happy to put this on for people.” Chairp...
Italian American World War Two veteran dies aged 102 after medical emergency en route to D-Day events in Normandy
A Second World War veteran has died aged 102 while travelling to France for the 80th anniversary of D-Day. Robert "Al" Persichitti, from Rochester, New York, served in the US Navy and was involved in the Allied operation in Japan. he veteran flew overseas with the National World War II Museum Group. After landing in Germany, the group were on a shi...
How Fiorello La Guardia Became America’s Mayor, and Why He Still Matters
Fiorello La Guardia was one of the twentieth century’s most colorful politicians ― on the New York and national stage. He was also quintessentially American: the son of Italian immigrants (his mother was also Jewish), who rose in society through sheer will and chutzpah. Almost one hundred years later, America is once again grappling with issues tha...
Romanticize Your Life Like An Italian Grandma
I was fortunate to grow up in the Bronx alongside my Italian grandmother, Millie—formerly known as Emilia—a petite, spirited woman steeped in old-world tradition and a romantic view of the world. She had a jubilant aura shaped by teenage summers spent in Italy eating pasta, riding her bike, and lounging on the beaches of Torre Annunziata. Millie wo...
The Conference of Presidents of Major Italian American Organizations: united we rise
The annual COPOMIAO meeting, held on June 1 in NYC in Little Italy's Italian American Museum, demonstrated a national coalition on the rise through the steady leadership of Basil M. Russo, who was unanimously elected to a third consecutive term by his peers. The Italian American Museum is not yet open to the public, as crews wrap up with a years-lo...
Slain NYPD detective who probed Mafia to get ‘well overdue’ headstone — 100 years after his death
He is forgotten no more. An NYPD detective who was killed during a cigar store hold-up a century ago will finally receive the recognition he deserves Monday – when a headstone inscribed with his name and acknowledging his service is placed on the unmarked grave where he was buried. The honor is thanks to a retired NYPD lieutenant who learned of the...