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 city of Lancaster. Palumbo was a naturalized citizen who served honorably in the U.S. Army during wartime.

In peacetime, he was very active in helping serve his Italian American community — especially by creating a “Citizenship School” with the Donegal chapter of the Daughters of the American Revolution and the Italian American Citizens Club of Lancaster. This school held classes at Thaddeus Stevens Elementary School on West Chestnut Street and operated for several years. It helped between 50 and 70 immigrants each year become U.S. citizens and learn English.