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Italians have been a foundational part of the city since at least the 1880s. Now, a group of members of the Board of Alders is proposing an official recognition of that history with an Italian Heritage Day to be held on the second Monday of October. Six alders submitted a resolution calling for that date, currently recognized as Columbus Day, to be...

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Weeks after the Christopher Columbus statue in New Haven’s Wooster Square came down amidst some violent protests, there’s now a billboard along Interstate 95 highlighting what posters call “the first Italian American.” Louis D’Amato put up the billboard on the northbound side of the highway in Milford last week. The Italian-American commercial buil...

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Loud and impassioned speeches resounded along Main Street on Sunday afternoon, all addressing the question of the day: Should he stay or should he go? The statue of Christopher Columbus in the little city park that bears his name has become a flashpoint of controversy, amid larger questions about rectifying historical wrongs. The death on May 25 of...

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As monuments to controversial historic figures fall nationwide — some toppled by protesters, others removed by governments — Stamford officials are seeking a cool approach to a heated debate about downtown’s Christopher Columbus statue. Should it stay or should it go? And what about the name of its home, Columbus Park? Strong feelings follow repeat...

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Someone put the “cut” in Connecticut. A Christopher Columbus statue outside City Hall in Waterbury, Conn., was discovered decapitated Saturday morning, and cops were investigating, The Hartford Courant reported. After the monument to the colonizer was beheaded, the local chapter of UNICO, an Italian American service organization, offered a $5,000 r...

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On October 12, 1984, hundreds gathered in unity on the "piazza" of Waterbury City Hall for the unveiling and dedication of the Christopher Columbus Statue. A gift to the City of Waterbury from the Italian-American Community, the statue represents a successful fundraising effort led to recognize the man who inspired millions of immigrants to lead li...

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With the recent removal of statues of Christopher Columbus and Confederate leaders such as Stonewall Jackson and Robert E. Lee, a related request to the Enfield Town Council to change a street name in town has been made by a longstanding active member of the community. Nick Lefakis, who served for many years on the Planning & Zoning Commission and...

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The protests sweeping the nation following the killing of George Floyd are inarguably justified and the current discussion taking place about racism is far overdue. The continued glorification of historical figures who fought to preserve segregation has been an important factor in the development of a culture which has promoted and inbred racism...

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Two groups stood outside city hall with two very different views on what the statue means. "Why should they tear down our statue? This is in Waterbury. I was born here. This is Christopher Columbus. He was of Italian descent. We're proud of this statue," said Waterbury resident Tom Cardinale. "He was an oppressor, and if you mean you want change, t...

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Hartford, Connecticut has removed a statue of Christopher Columbus that sat in the shadow of the state Capitol since 1926 amid a national outcry over statues honoring historical figures who participated in slavery and discrimination. After Mayor Luke Bronin vowed on June 15 to take the Columbus statue down, city workers quietly removed the monument...

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