February 2024 Christopher Columbus' legal defense in American courts: thanks to George Bochetto

The story of why in 1892 America began to celebrate Co­lum­bus Day, which subsequently led to the cre­ation of more than 100 Columbus statues through­out our coun­try, is a tragic ex­am­ple of the mis­treat­ment of im­mi­grants that needs to be told. When Italians came to America Between 1880 and 1920, some four million Italian immigrants left impo...

Cities and towns in New Hampshire are now required by state law to recognize Columbus Day, shining a fresh spotlight on the controversy between the holiday and Indigenous People’s Day.House Bill 1014, signed by Gov. Chris Sununu in July, mandates New Hampshire civics classroom instruction include information on state laws governing elections and vo...

Former News12 anchor Doug Geed will help lead the Columbus Day Parade on Oct. 13, joining three others serving as grand marshals. Butch Yamali, president of Dover Group Business Company, and Marisol and Biagio Isgro, Jr., the state president of  Order Sons and Daughters of Italy in America, will also seve as grand marshals. The parade route will re...

Two bills that were advancing through the Massachusetts House and Senate, seeking to replace Columbus Day with Indigenous Peoples’ Day, are now all but dead-on-arrival thanks to a viral petition spearheaded by affiliates of the Conference of Presidents of Major Italian American Organizations (COPOMIAO).  COPOMIAO President Basil M. Russo, along wit...

The August Solidarity Session will be held on Tuesday, August 20, 2024 at 8 PM EDT. Join with leaders of the Native American Guardian’s Association (“NAGA”) and representatives of Italian American organizations from around the country at the next monthly Zoom meeting to collaborate in opposing cancel culture. These successful monthly virtual sessio...

The Ocean County Columbus Day Parade Committee is proud to announce that they have chosen Stephanie Mongiello Wauters of Toms River to be Grand Marshal for the 33rd Annual Celebration. Each year the selection is difficult because there are several worthy individuals nominated and reviewed by the search committee. After carefully reviewing each of t...

One of the most thrilling and glamorous events in the Chicago-area Italian-American community is the contest to determine who will reign as La Bella Regina of the Columbus Day Parade. “Few events in the community can match the pageantry of the annual Columbus Day Queen pageant,” says Ron Onesti, president of the Joint Civic Committee of Italian Ame...

A controversial move to hold school on both Columbus and Veterans Day in Stamford is likely to be reversed because it will cost the district money. The Board of Education is expected to conduct a revote on the school calendar for the next two school years on Tuesday night that would bring both holidays back as days off for students and staff.  "Th...

Good news on the legislative front! The N.H. House Executive Departments & Administrative Committee voted H.B. 1335, the bill to eliminate Columbus Day as a state holiday, “Inexpedient to Legislate” by a 14 to 1 vote. The Committee is recommending to the full N.H. House of Representatives that the bill be voted down. Friends of Italian Americans ha...