Italian Names Lost in Translation?
Live Longer!
An Italian Town’s Secret
Beyond the Call Our Unsung Heroes
Blue Jeans An Italian Idea
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ITALIAN AMERICA
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ITALIAN AMERICA
WINTER 2014
VOL. XIX No. 1
Italian America T h e O ff i c i a l P u b l i c a t i o n o f t h e O r d e r S o n s o f I t a l y i n A m e r i c a
Features
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HOW DID “VINCENZO” BECOME “JAMES”? The Americanization of Italian Names By John Colletta
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THE POWER OF THE CLAN
The Long-Lived People of Roseto, PA. By Frank Addessi
BEYOND THE CALL Our Unsung War Heroes By Dona De Sanctis
THE SAILORS’ CLOTH Jeans Are from Genoa By Karen Haid
ON THE COVER: Winter in the Italian Alps
2 High Profile 3 National News 4 Oggi in Italia 5 Pagina Italiana 9 Book Club 10 Our Story
D e pa r t m e n t s
15 It’s “Only” a Movie 16 On the Bulletin Board 17 Speakers Bureau 21 Giovinezza! 24 OSIA Nation 26 Foundation Focus
28 Fighting Stereotypes (CSJ) 29 Letters to the Editor 27 Your National Office
29 The Perfect Gift 30 The Last Word 32 The Sons of Italy Shoppers Guide
Italian America is published by The Order Sons of Italy in America 219 E Street, NE • Washington, DC 20002 • Tel: 202/547-2900 • Web: www.osia.org Editor-in-Chief Dona De Sanctis, Ph.D. ddesanctis@osia.org Writers Frank Addessi, Anthony J. Baratta, Carlo Carlozzi, John Colletta, Carol Elfo Cummings, John Di Feliciantonio, Joseph DiTrapani, Karen Haid, David McCormick, Bianca Ottone Graphic Designers Krystyne Hayes, Diane Vincent To advertise: Call Pat Rosso at 215/206-4678. Email: pieassociates @comcast.net. See www.osia.org for advertising rates, specs, demographics, etc.
Italian America Magazine is a publication of the Order Sons of Italy in America (OSIA), the nation’s biggest and oldest organization for people of Italian heritage. To subscribe, see www.osia.org or call 1-800-552-6742. WINTER 2014
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ITALIAN AMERICA
High Profile JOHN PHILLIPS, Esq. is President Barack Obama’s choice as U.S. ambassador to Italy. Phillips, 70, assumed his post last September. He founded Phillips & Cohen, a law firm that has won more than $730 million Ambassador in whistleblower rewards in the last John Phillips, Esq. 25 years. In 1986, he founded the nonprofit Taxpayers Against Fraud to fight fraud against the government. His grandparents, Angelo and Lucia Filippi, emigrated from northern Italy. A teacher changed his father’s last name to Phillips because “it sounded more American,” he says. YOGI BERRA, the legendary Yankee catcher, is also a WWII vet, whose heroism during DDay was remembered last October by the Bob Feller Foundation that gave him its first Valor Award. Berra joined the Navy when he was only 18. Now 88, he told the New Jersey Star Ledger that the Normandy invasion “...was like the Fourth of July... Yogi Berra You couldn’t stick your head up or it during WWII would get blown off.” FLORA DARPINO, a U.S. Army brigadier general, is the first woman in the Army’s 236-year history, to lead its JAG legal services. In September 2013, she was sworn in as the 39th Army Judge Advocate General by Chief of Staff of the Army Gen. Ray Odierno at the Pentagon. As the Army’s top lawyer, she will oversee nearly 2,000 full-time judge advocates and civilian attorneys in the Army’s Judge Advocate General’s Corp, known as JAG. A Brig. Gen. Flora Darpino and Chief of Staff of the Army, Gen. Ray Odierno. 26-year decorated veteran, who served in Iraq, she is married and has two daughters, but kept her maiden name to honor the memory of her immigrant Italian father, who served in WWII. + photo:
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Italian Americans in the NEWS
AUGUSTO ODONE, the father who tried to cure his son, Lorenzo, of a rare brain disease, died in Italy October 24, 2013 at age 80 of heart disease. When the boy was diagnosed with ALD, a fatal degenerative disease, Odone and his wife, neither of whom had any medical training, developed oils that prevented or The Odone family slowed the disease but did not cure before tragedy it. Thanks to the oil, Lorenzo lived struck. but in a vegetative state. He died in 2008 at age 30. The oil “was a long shot,” Odone told a London newspaper several years ago. “But to me a long shot is better than no shot at all.” JEFFREY PUGLIESE, a lieutenant in the Watertown (MA) Police Department, was chosen as one of the police officers of the month in October 2013 by the National Law Enforcement Officers Memorial Fund in Washington, D.C. He helped capture one of the two alleged bombers who killed 3 people and injured Police Lt. more than 260 others during the Jeffrey Pugliese Boston Marathon April 15, 2013. THERESA SAREO, a singer/songwriter who lost a leg in 2002 when she was struck by a drunk driver, now helps severely injured others, especially veterans. Her work at hospitals, schools and corporations world-wide has been widely praised as is her documentary film, “Theresa Sareo: Alive Again” about her life and career. Ms. Sareo has performed for the Sons of Italy Foundation at its annual gala in Performer Washington, D.C. Theresa Sareo
DISCOUNTS GALORE! Visit www.osia.org’s “Market Place” section for special OSIA membership discounts on Italian products, language lessons, fine stationery products, genealogy research, travel and more! Also see pages 31-36 in this issue.
ITALIAN AMERICA
National News
Italian American issues and events
Italian Ambassador Urges Support of Italian AP Exam “The Italian AP exam needs the support and commitment of the nation’s Italian Americans,” Claudio Bisogniero, Italy’s ambassador to the U.S., stressed in an open letter to Italian American organizations last October. “More students need to take the Advanced Placement (AP) examination in Italian if the test is going to remain viable,” he said in his letter, which included a “strategic plan of action” with roles for his embassy, Italian American organizations and institutes as well as concerned citizens. [See outline of plan below.]
Italian is becoming more popular at the elementary and high school levels, according to the American Council on the Teaching of Foreign Languages (ACTFL), which tracks foreign language enrollment from kindergarten through high school in U.S. public schools.
“In 2013, about 2,000 students took the exam, but an additional 500 are needed to meet the goal for 2016 set by the College Board,” Amb. Bisogniero said in the letter. The College Board administers these high school advanced placement programs in languages and other subjects.
In its most recent enrollment study, ACTFL compared foreign language enrollment figures from the 2004-05 school year to the 2007-08 year. It found that Italian studies increased by nearly 20% in the 27 states that reported enrollment data for the study.
Cost is a factor affecting applications to take the exam, according to Joseph Sciame, a former Sons of Italy national president and the current chair of the Conference of Presidents of Major Italian American Organizations. “Students must pay about $85.00 to take it and some just cannot afford that,” he says.
Of those 27 states, 14 offered Italian to 65,000 students in 2004-05. Only two years later, in 2007-08, however, 18 states provided Italian instruction to more than 78,000 students – an increase of 13,000 students. Italian had larger enrollments that Chinese, Russian and Japanese, but still lagged behind Spanish, the ACTFL study found.
But Sciame points out that as a large, national grassroots organization, the Sons of Italy is in a unique position to help. “Lodges can offer financial aid to students who cannot afford the cost of the exam. It’s time to get moving,” he says.
“We have 214 U.S. high schools that offer Italian,” says Amb. Bisogniero. “If just two more students in each school take the exam, we can meet our target of 2,500 students.” (See page 16 for more information.)
Italy’s Ambassador to the U.S., His Excellency Claudio Bisogniero
Italian AP Strategic Plan Expand Italian Studies. Organizations and institutions should lobby and fund-raise to introduce or expand Italian classes in their local high schools. Support Existing Programs. Clubs and lodges can adopt a school, a class or a teacher, giving financial aid to buy teaching materials, DVDs and other tools to make learning more exciting. Assist Needy Students. Clubs can help students pay for the AP Italian exam. Teacher Study Grants. Give scholarships solely to teachers of Italian at the AP level so they can perfect their teaching methods and command of Italian. Reward AP Students. Give students who take the exam a financial reward just if they take it, with larger amounts going to those who pass it with high marks.
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Oggi in Italia
Italy’s news, politics and culture
Italian Fashion Houses Rescue Italy’s Crumbling Monuments By Carol ELFO Cummings
With Italy’s economy still deep in recession, government funding to preserve the country’s famed landmarks is at the bottom of the list, according to Ilaria Borletti, chair of the Fondo Ambiente Italiano (FAI), the Italian National Trust. Italy has 47 UNESCO-protected World Heritage Sites, more than any other country, but since 2010 the government’s archeological maintenance budget has been slashed by 20 percent, reports Time Magazine. Fortunately, a number of Italian fashion houses are willing to contribute millions of dollars to save Italy’s crumbling monuments. Diego Della Valle, CEO of Tod’s, the Italian leather goods company, has given about $32.5 million to restore the Coliseum. But now Tod can use the monument in its advertising and marketing campaigns and also have its logo printed on Coliseum entrance tickets. Renzo Rosso, the fashion mogul who owns several high price brands, including $1,800 blue jeans, donated about $6.5 million to restore Venice’s 16th Century Rialto Bridge, in exchange for “artistic” advertising space on the famous monument. In Rome, the city’s famed 17th century Trevi Fountain is also in danger. Last year, when a piece of it fell off, the fashion house of Fendi, noted for its leather handbags, donated $2.9 million to give the foundation a complete
overhaul that includes cleaning the statues and fixing all the cracks. To thank Fendi, the city will place a small plaque on the fountain that will remain for only three years. According to the Wall Street Journal, Italy’s tax system doesn’t favor charitable The fashion house of contributions, but the fashion Prada is restoring the leaders are still willing to pay Ca’ Corner della Regina, to preserve Italy’s treasures. an 18th century baroque palace overlooking the Gucci has committed to doGrand Canal in Venice. nate half of the ticket sales from its Florence museum to preserve the city’s art, while Prada is funding a six-year restoration of Ca’ Corner della Regina, an 18th century baroque palace overlooking the Grand Canal in Venice. One of the world leaders in cashmere, Brunello Cucinelli has committed $1.4 million to restore the third-century A.D. Arch of Augustus in Perugia. “What the biggest donors have in common is a stake in maintaining Italy’s glamorous image,” write Stephan Faris for Bloomberg Businessweek.
Is Pasta Passè?
country’s ideal conditions for growing durum wheat, pasta’s main ingredient. Inexpensive and widely available, over the centuries pasta became a staple especially during wartime and in the povertystricken south.
By Dona De Sanctis
Are Italians falling out of love with their most famous contribution to world cuisine? The answer appears to be “yes.” A decade ago, Italian families ate about 88 pounds of pasta a year. Today, they eat about 71 pounds annually. A growing interest in foreign cuisines and concerns about excess weight are among the factors affecting Italy’s pasta consumption, according to Barilla, the world’s largest pasta maker. Italians have been eating pasta since the ancient Romans, who discovered the WINTER 2014
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Is pasta an “endangered dish” in Italy?
Today, Italy has more than 500 shapes of spaghetti and maccheroni along with strict rules that govern what kind of sauce goes with each shape. But now, Italians are exploring Middle Eastern, Japanese, Chinese and Indian dishes. Meantime, Barilla is trying to lure young Italians back by working with McDonald to introduce new pasta dishes to the fast-food giant which has about 300 restaurants in Italy. ITALIAN AMERICA
Pagina Italiana
Per chi studia la nostra lingua
La Fiaba Di Cappuccetto Rosso Cappuccetto Rosso è una delle fiabe europee più popolari al mondo. È stata trascritta da Charles Perrault nel 1697 e dai fratelli Grimm nel 1857. “La finta nonna” è il titolo di un’antica versione italiana della fiaba, in cui Cappuccetto Rosso riesce a sconfiggere il lupo (o meglio un orco femmina in questa versione) basandosi esclusivamente sulla propria astuzia.
CAPPUCCETTO ROSSO C’era una volta una ragazzina che portava sempre un cappuccetto di velluto rosso che le aveva regalato la nonna. Così tutti la chiamarono “Cappuccetto Rosso.” Un giorno sua madre le disse che la nonna stava male. “Porta questo cestino di pane e vino alla nonna, Cappuccetto Rosso, e sta’ attenta quando passi per il bosco.” “Farò tutto per bene,” disse Cappuccetto Rosso alla mamma. Ma quando arrivò nel bosco, Cappuccetto Rosso incontrò un lupo.
- Per vederti meglio, cara. - Ma, nonna, che denti grossi che hai! - Per meglio mangiarti! E subito il lupo balzò dal letto e mangiò la povera ragazzina. Saziato il suo appetito, si rimise a letto, s’addormentò e cominciò a russare sonoramente. Proprio allora passò li davanti un cacciatore e pensò: “Come russa la vecchia! Devo darle un’occhiata, potrebbe star male”.
- Buon giorno, Cappuccetto Rosso, - egli disse. - Dove vai così presto? - Dalla nonna. - Che cosa hai nel cestino? - Vino e pane.” - D o v e a b i t a l a t u a n o n n a , Cappuccetto Rosso? - Nel bosco, - disse la ragazzina. Il lupo la salutò e andò di corsa dalla nonna. Entrò nella casetta della nonna; andò dritto al letto della nonna e la mangiò. Poi si mise le sue vesti e la cuffia, si coricò nel letto e tirò su le coperte. Quando arrivò Cappuccetto Rosso esclamò “Buon giorno!” ma non ebbe risposta. Allora s’avvicinò al letto e scostò le cortine: la nonna era coricata, con la cuffia abbassata sulla faccia e aveva un aspetto strano.
Cappuccetto Rosso incontrò un lupo nel bosco.
Poi venne fuori anche la vecchia nonna, ancora viva! Cappuccetto Rosso corse a prender dei pietroni, con cui riempirono la pancia del lupo; e quando egli si svegliò fece per correr via, ma le pietre erano così pesanti che subito s’accasciò e cadde morto.
Quando arrivò Cappuccetto Rosso esclamò “ Buon giorno!”
- Oh, nonna, che orecchie grosse che hai! - Per sentirti meglio, cara. - Oh, nonna, che occhi grossi che hai! WINTER 2014 5 ITALIAN AMERICA
Entrò nella stanza e, avvicinatosi al letto, vide il lupo. Stava per puntare il fucile, ma gli venne in mente che il lupo avesse mangiato la nonna e che si potesse ancora salvarla. Non sparò, ma prese un paio di forbici e cominciò a tagliare la pancia del lupo addormentato. Dopo due tagli, vide brillare il cappuccetto rosso, e dopo altri due la bambina saltò fuori gridando: - Che paura ho avuto! com’era buio nel ventre del lupo!
Erano contenti tutti e tre. Insieme mangiarono il pane e bevvero il vino. E Cappuccetto Rosso pensava: “Mai più correrai sola nel bosco, lontano dal sentiero, quando la mamma me l’ha proibito “.
Adattato dalla fiaba dei Fratelli Grimm. Illustrazioni di Margareth Tarrant ITALIAN AMERICA WINTER 2014 5
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By John Philip Colletta
The Italians who ventured to the United States in steamships at the turn of the twentieth century carried more than their trunks, bags, and bundles. They also carried the culture and traditions of their ancestors. When it came time to name their Americanborn children, however, the newcomers realized that no ancient custom of Italy could cross the Atlantic intact. To keep the old ways, they devised some very creative strategies.
Old Meets New For generations, Italians named their children to honor their parents. The first-born son was named for the father’s father; first-born daughter for the father’s mother; second son for the mother’s father; and second daughter for the mother’s mother.
is “crucified,” the granddaughter born in the United States might be baptized Christine. If the grandfather was Rosario (rosary), the grandson might be called Russell or Ross. Santo (holy or saint) often became Sam or Samuel. Natale (Christmas) became Ned, Nate, or Nathan. Giovanna, the feminine of Giovanni, turned into Jane, Joan, Jean or Jennie. Donato (“given”) became Donald. Some Italian given names translated well into English in their masculine or feminine form, but not both. Gelsomina, for instance, was perfect for the name Jasmine. But Gelsomino for a boy? That simply did not work. Names such as Epifanio (masculine)
and Epifania (feminine), signifying the Feast of the Epiphany on January 6th, were untranslatable in English and subsequently abandoned. Another popular girl’s name that had no hope of survival was Assunta. Derived from l’assunzione di Maria in cielo (assumption of Mary to heaven), it can only be translated as “Assumption.” In the United States, you simply could not name a daughter Assumption. Renato, a man’s name that also has no English equivalent, transmogrified to Ronald. In Italy, every paese (village or town) had its patron saint, whose name was conferred on scores of newborns. In America, many of these saints were
Once in America, the immigrants whose parents bore names that had English equivalents experienced no difficulty: Giovanni became John; Giuseppe became Joseph; Maria, Mary or Marie; Caterina, Catherine; and so on. But how could loving sons and daughters honor parents whose names could not be translated into English? They came up with “acceptable alternatives.” If the grandmother was Crocifissa, for instance, whose literal translation LEFT: Santo Colletta, the author’s grandfather, from his 1914 Italian passport. To his great disappointment, of his seven grandsons, not one was named for him. WINTER 2014 7 ITALIAN AMERICA
The author’s grandmother, Rosalia Girgenti Colletta, from her 1919 Italian passport. Custom dictated her children’s names. Eldest son (left) was named Ignazio after his father’s father. Eldest daughter (right) was named Rosalia after her father’s mother, not her own mother. ITALIAN AMERICA WINTER 2014 7
unknown – even among Catholics – and their names were not used.
Fucilla cites two examples of Italian nicknames becoming the legal names of descendants in America: “Fanina (from Stefanina) was transformed into Fanny, and Melina (from Carmelina) into Milly.” The reverse also occurred: Italian immigrants unable to distinguish American nicknames from formal names adopted a nickname if it sounded close enough to the Italian original. For instance, Sandy, rather than Samuel, was sometimes used for Santo. Gus, not Augustine, was used for Agosto or Agostino.
Imaginative “translations” varied from one Italian community to the next, depending on the paese of the inhabitants and its saints. Filomena (the obscure Saint Philomena) became Phyllis. Saints Rocco (Roch) and Onofrio (Humphrey)—extremely common names in Italy—were traded for more conventional American substitutes.
IF IT SOUNDS LIKE... In his book, Our Italian Surnames, Joseph Fucilla suggests that some Italians in America made no attempt to find literal translations of their given names. They simply “adjusted” them to sound or appear like English names found in their communities. “Agata, for instance, is transformed into Agnes, Carmine into Herman, Gaetano into Guy, Raffaele into Ralph, etc.” All these names have English equivalents, but they were rejected in favor of something familiar in the neighborhood. On the other hand, immigrants determined to follow the old ways sometimes gave their child the grandparent’s original Italian name, regardless of how peculiar it sounded to their Englishspeaking neighbors. Throughout their lives, many a lad baptized Nunzio used a different and more American name, often Ned. Sometimes Ignazio also became Ned, though in at least one case it turned into Ed or Eddie. Likewise, many an Emmanuella went by the shortened Nella. Alternatively, parents sensitive to their new cultural surroundings might resort to giving their children two names, the first one American, the second for an ancestor. This diplomatic solution seemed to keep everybody happy. WINTER 2014
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Cover of a guide for emigrants, published by an Italian steamship line in 1902. [Photo Italy Italy Magazine]
NICKNAMES One practice, though, appears to have been common to all Italian Americans: calling one another by a nickname. This further confused the naming of children in the new country after grandparents in the old country. Immigrants unlettered in standard Italian, let alone English, often made no distinction between a formal name and a moniker. Peppina, for instance, is short for Giuseppina, which in turn is a diminutive of Giuseppa, meaning Josephine. So a child named for Peppina might be called Jo or Josie, rather than the more correct Josephine. Giovannino, the diminutive of Giovanni, translates as Jack or Johnny, just as Antonino (Tony) is short for Antonio (Anthony). However, Giovannino and Antonino as well as Renato and others may have been known simply as Nino, pronounced Ninu in Sicilian dialect.
In light of all these peculiarities – and likely others, too – it is not surprising that Internet sites that purport to provide the English equivalents of Italian given names are inconsistent, contradictory, and far from comprehensive. The folkloric ways in which the masses of men and women disembarking from the steamships held fast to their Italianità cannot be explained in lists of words in parallel columns. The issue is simply not that reasoned or consistent. Italian American families delight in repeating the curious, passedalong accounts of how aunts, uncles, brothers, sisters, and cousins, got their names. Today, descendants of the Italian immigrants appear to have abandoned the old ways. They name their children anything they choose. As to why Vincenzo, which translates as Vincent, became James, is an oddity of endless wonder and speculation. There’s no logical, linguistic or cultural explanation, but we do know that it’s historical fact: Vincenzo became Jim in Italian communities as far-flung as Boston, Philadelphia, Buffalo and St. Louis. Yet no one can say how or why Vincenzo became James! John Philip Colletta, Ph.D. is a genealogist, author, and lecturer, based in Washington, D.C. See his site, www.genealogyjohn.com. ITALIAN AMERICA
The Sons of Italy
Book Club
WINTER 2014 Selections
Italian Women in Chicago The World of Edited by Dominic Candeloro, Sicilian Wine Kathy Catrambone & Gloria Nardini
By Bill Nesto and Frances Di Savino
Explorers Emigrants Citizens
Subtitled, Madonna mia! QUI debbo vivere? (Good Grief! I have to live here?), this collection of stories is about Chicago’s pioneering Italian women from the 1890s to the present. They include politicians, labor activists, musicians, broadcasters and writers and even a saint, Mother Cabrini. Written by the women themselves or their families, these snapshots reveal the struggles and successes of Italian women in what many consider the most “American” city in the nation. [$24.99; paperback; 312 pages; Italian Cultural Center at Casa Italia]
Frances Di Savino, a student of history, have produced a comprehensive guide on the cultivation of wine in Sicily from the ancient Phoenicians and Greeks to modern times. Carefully researched, it offers such historical tidbits as Sicilian wines’ importance to the French wine industry at the end of the 19th century and the influence of the Muslim’s nearly 200-year occupation of Sicily in the 9th century A.D. Wine lovers will appreciate this well-researched book on Sicily’s wine industry. [$34.95; hardcover; 300 pages; University of California Press]
This “visual history of the Italian American experience” taps for the first time the Library of Congress’s vast photo collection of Italian American history. It has over 500 images and photographs, many never before published, including the first map ever to use the name “America” as well as stark photographs of what our early ancestors faced and triumphant shots of their successful children and grandchildren. A “must” for every family’s library and a worthy donation to schools and public libraries. [$55; hardcover; 320 pages; Anniversary Books]
By Linda Barrett Osborne & Master of Wine Nesto and his wife, Paolo Battaglia
Also Worth Reading Brooklyn Odyssey
By Tony Giordano This is the first in a three-part series about growing up with acting aspirations in a blue collar Italian-American family during the postwar years. The author, director Tony Giordano, says it is his attempt “...to let America know how the values we inherit from our Italian childhood carry us through life with dignity and integrity.” [$27.50; hardcover; 130 pages; Ananke, LTD.]
To Tuscany With Love
By Gail Mencini The love affairs, friendships, and life-changing experiences that eight American college students have during a summer abroad in Florence shape their future. In this novel, we meet them again 30 years later when they return to Tuscany for a reunion and learn how that longago summer changed their lives forever. [$16.95; paperback; 398 pages; Capriole Group] WINTER 2014 9 ITALIAN AMERICA
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Our Story
Italian American history and culture
Bernini Champion Joseph Grano Dies at 68 By Dona De Sanctis
Italian Americans lost one of its most dedicated champions when Joseph N. Grano died of complications from a stroke November 24, 2013 at age 68 in Washington, D.C. In 2000, as president of the Constantino Brumidi Society, he launched a campaign to recognize the contributions of this 19th century artist, called “the Michelangelo of the Capitol,” who spent 25 years frescoing the interior dome, halls and meeting rooms. In 2005, Mr. Grano persuaded Congress to honor the bicentennial of Brumidi’s birth and three years later, in 2008, successfully lobbied to award the artist the Congressional Gold Medal posthumously. Together with the Presidential Medal of Freedom it is the highest civilian award in the United States. Brumidi’s medal will be displayed in the
Capitol Visitor Center as part of an exhibit honoring the artist. Mr. Grano was working on securing a Brumidi commemorative stamp when he died. “Joe worked tirelessly, almost Joseph N. Grano (1945-2013) single-handedly and without any monetary compensation to make Brumidi’s name known not only in the corridors of Congress, but among Italian Americans,” says Dr. Philip Piccigallo, the national executive director of the Sons of Italy in Washington, D.C. He and his organization were among Mr. Grano’s staunchest supporters. “We suffered a terrible loss when this selfless man passed,” he said.
Born to Yodel By David McCormick
Island, New York where his Italian AmeriStrumming his guitar and singing his can father was a landscaper. heart out, Olivio Santoro would croon to fans sitting in front of their radios in But apparently, it was his Italian heritage the late 1930s and early 1940s. For six that cost Olivio Santoro his career. In 1943, years, beginning in 1936 when he was only his popular show was cancelled, a casualty eight years old, Santoro was a regular on of the paranoia directed at Italian Amerithe popular radio show, “The Horn and cans during WWII. It was rumored that Hardart Children’s Hour” where he yothe 15-year-old was yodeling in codes that deled while accompanying himself on the A popular publicity shot of gave information on shipping schedules to guitar. His bubbly personality came across Santoro dressed as a cowboy. U-boats waiting along the east coast of the He was born and raised on the radio as well as his voice, sounding older United States. New York’s Long Island. than his years, which captivated girls, who His show was over and so was his career. inundated him with fan mail. All that remained were fond memories of him yodeling every “When you’re happy, yodel! When you’re sad, yodel and Sunday afternoon, singing the commercial for his show’s get happy!” he urged his fans in his eight-page booklet, sponsor, Philadelphia Scrapple, which he hawked to the tune How to Yodel, published when he was 13 years old. It is of, “Ta-ra-ra-boom-de-ay.” That was a hard sell because most one of the first American guides to the art of yodeling. people compared this canned ground pork and corn meal After his stint on “The Children’s Hour,” Santoro went concoction to fried mush. on to host his own syndicated radio program, “The Hartz After the war, Santoro appeared briefly on the televiPet Food Half Hour,” a variety show, showcasing his yo- sion show, “Friendship Ranch” on WNBT-TV in around deling talents, inspired by his hero, the “singing cowboy,” 1950, but his performing days were over. Sometime after Gene Autry. His publicity photos show him dressed as a that, he joined his father in the landscaping business, leavcowboy, sitting on a fence and strumming his guitar. ing posterity to wonder “Whatever happened to Olivio Who was this young radio star, billed as “America’s greatest boy yodeler?” He was born in 1928 on Long WINTER 2014
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Santoro?” The answer is lost in the annals of time. David McCormick is a free-lance writer in Springfield, MA. Contact him at dmccormick86@comcast.net. ITALIAN AMERICA
Our Story
Italian American history and culture
Tips for Dual Citizenship By Bianca Ottone
If you are married to an Italian citizen, you can apply for Italian citizenship without losing your American one. The process is certainly easier than acquiring it through a parent or grandparent or by living in Italy.
above applies, but in both cases among other documents, applicants must provide their marriage certificate as well as an F.B.I. clearance that includes finger prints, and the police clearance issued by every state they have lived in since age 14.
Spouses of Italian citizens can only apply after they have legally resided in Italy for at least six months or after three years from the date of the marriage if they live abroad (i.e. in the U.S.)
Questions? We will guide you through the process. Just schedule a telephone consultation with My Italian Family at 1-888-472-0171 or go to www.myitalianfamily.com.
The good news is that they need fewer documents to bring to their nearest Italian consulate. The documentation varies based on which of the two situations described
Bianca Ottone is the founder and managing director of the genealogical research firm, My Italian Family, LLC in New Hope, PA 18938. OSIA members receive a 10% discount on family research in both the U.S. and in Italy, including locating living relatives.
What’s In A Name? By John Di Feliciantonio
For centuries all over the world, people had only one “official” name, given to them by their families. Today, having a surname as well as a first name, while not universal, is common in Europe as well as here.
cluding occupation, city or town of origin, a person’s peculiar or identifying characteristic pertaining to a physical feature or character trait or even a father’s first name. Mine, for example, Di Feliciantonio, (Happy Anthony’s) indicates sometime in my family’s past, there was a happy man named Antonio, who had at least one child.
???
Italy began using last names in about the 12th century, but they did not become hereditary until the 14th century. Last names were chosen based on many different criteria in-
The famous Italian Americans listed below also have last names that mean something in Italian. See how many you can recognize. For the answers, see box below.
1. Nancy Pelosi
a) pelt
b) pellet
c) penalty
d) hairy
2. Tommy LaSorda
a)blind
b) deaf
c) dumb
d) lame
3. Annette Funicello
a)branch
b) funicular
c) thin rope
d) fair
4. Jim Croce
a) crock
b) crucible
c) chronicle
d) cross
5. the Gallo brothers
a) parrot
b) rooster
c) gallon
d) poll
6. Fiorello LaGuardia
a) guard
b) vanguard
c) policeman
d) watch dog
7. Giuseppe Verdi
a) vernacular
b) green
c) yellow
d) Friday
b) bon vivant
c) good part
d) good heart
8. Napoleon Bonaparte a) good man 9. Joe DiMaggio
a) of cheese
b) of May
c) of major
d) of magnitude
10. Enrico Fermi
a) firm
b) steady
c) stable
d) at a standstill ANSWERS 1.D
2. A
3. C
4. D
5. B
6. A
7. B
8. C
9. B
10. ALL
WINTER 2014 11 ITALIAN AMERICA
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of the
The
By Frank Addessi
Most Americans believe that the Mediterranean diet helps their hearts, but for the people in Roseto, Pennsylvania living long and healthy lives goes beyond “eating Italian.” In fact, by accepted standards, the people there don’t lead healthy lives at all. Fifty years ago, a landmark study, “The Roseto Effect” found that they were frying their sausages and meatballs in lard instead of olive oil; smoking tobacco; overeating; drinking plenty of wine; and doing dangerous work underground in slate quarries. Yet, the men of the town died of heart attacks at half the rate of the rest of America. Why?
The Ties That Bind The study by Drs. Stewart Wolf and John Bruhn, which was published in the mid-1960s, compared the mortality rate from coronary heart disease in Roseto to those of surrounding towns as well as national averages. They found that the people of Roseto were virtually immune to heart disease.
Roseto is a place where it is not uncommon for three or four generations to gather at the same table for a traditional Sunday dinner. Geriatric experts believe a nurturing environment and continuity of family ensures that as people age, they do not suffer from the ill effects of stress that are exacerbated by isolation and unhappiness. Harvard professor Laura Kubzansky, whose work focuses on psychological and social factors and the role of stress in cardiovascular disease, believes there is a correlation between older adults whose lives have a sense of meaning and purpose and a reduced risk of developing heart disease. Professor Kubzansky’s work appears to reflect the lifestyle of Roseto’s senior citizens.
This tiny town was settled by immigrants from Roseto Valfortore, Foggia in 1882 and incorporated in 1912. By the 1960s, it was still 100 percent Italian. The original study focused on “The Power of the Clan,” as Dr. Wolf’s 1984 update was titled and attributed the long life and near absence of heart disease to the sense of community and mutual aid that are often found in Italian neighborhoods. Today, Roseto is still largely Italian American with 70 to 75 percent of its 1,500 residents of Italian heritage. A strong community network and the bonds of family remain very strong. The elderly usually live in their own homes, thanks to support from their families. For example, the aunt of local grocer, Dave Ruggiero, is well into her 90s, still lives next door to his store, and is active in her church and community. WINTER 2014
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The original Roseto Valfortore is in Italy’s heel, the region of Puglia.
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The General Sewing Machine Company, one of the blouse mills in Roseto, where the women walked to work. [Photo: Frank Addessi]
Third generation Roseto butcher Joe De Franco, whose family still follows the town’s traditionally eating habits.
Even people in their 80s and 90s grow and tend their own gardens. Inset: the reliable tomato plant. [Photo: Frank Addessi]
Roseto was settled by immigrants from Roseto Valfortore, Foggia in 1882 and incorporated in 1912.
Roseto Valfortore in Puglia gave the town its name and most of its early residents. WINTER 2014 13 ITALIAN AMERICA
ITALIAN AMERICA WINTER 2014 13
Mangia! In Dr. Wolf’s 1960’s study, Angie Martocci, 66, remarked that most people in town ate the same meals week after week. “Monday almost everyone in town ate spezzati (a spinach and egg soup); Tuesdays, it was spaghetti and gravy (tomato sauce); Wednesday was roast chicken and potatoes; Thursday, spaghetti again; fish on Fridays, of course; veal and peppers on Saturday; and antipasto, meatballs and spaghetti on Sunday.” Side dishes were homegrown vegetables, and wine accompanied most main meals. What was not known at the time was that in 50 years the Mayo Clinic would tout the heart-healthy benefits of the Mediterranean diet described by Angie as the key to a longer, healthier life. The Mayo Clinic describes a Mediterranean diet as “A splash of flavorful olive oil and perhaps even a glass of red wine…and meals that feature fruits, vegetables, fish and whole grains.” That sounds remarkably like Angie’s description of what her family and neighbors ate.
and extended family, Kathy prepares “hundreds of jars of sauce” for the family to consume during the year. Traditions in Roseto extend beyond home, family and food. Faith still plays a significant role in the lives of townspeople. Roseto has two churches with very active congregations, the Roseto Independent Presbyterian Church and the Catholic parish, Our Lady of Mount Carmel. Mount Carmel Pastor Fr. James Prior came to the community 49 years ago as principal of Pius X High School and has remained a fixture of the community ever since. He credits the longevity of his parishioners to their ability to be happy with their lives and their adherence to traditional values. He points out that in time of greatly decreasing church attendance elsewhere, his parish has been holding steady and has only experienced a very modest decline in membership in recent years.
The final piece of the Roseto longevity puzzle is exercise. Physical activity was valued by the people Third-generation butcher, Joe of Roseto long before there were De Franco, who was born in Rogym memberships. From the old seto, recalls that like most other days when the men trudged down households in town, his family althe hill to work in slate quarries and ways had a garden where they grew The Mediterranean Diet Food the women worked in local blouse Pyramid [Photo: Frank Addessi] tomatoes, vegetables and herbs for mills so they could walk home to their own use. “Everything, we feed their children lunch, the people of Roseto have never ate was fresh and from scratch,” he says. As butchers, stopped moving. Even today there is no sign of slowing De Franco’s family ate more meat than others, but their down in a town where retirement is merely a transition meal still included copious servings of vegetables, beans, from working away from home to working at home. legumes and grains, he says. A stroll through town reveals well-tended flower and Keeping Traditions vegetable gardens planted by people even in their 80s and Although today, people in the town say that things 90s. According to Professor Kubzansky, “As much as 80 have changed, they also insist that tradition matters so percent of heart attacks occur because of lifestyle choices they do things the same way as their grandparents and such as poor diet, smoking and little exercise.” Apparently, great grandparents. “Tradition is not just important, it’s the people of Roseto have always known this. The choices everything,” says Kathy Martino, an Italian American who they make may be driven by tradition and not research by came to town through marriage. Among the traditions she Harvard University or the Mayo Clinic, but the result is and others in town keep is preserving a year’s worth of still a resounding affirmation of the importance of family, tomato sauce every August. With help from her children friends, and food in a long and healthy life. Frank Addessi is a freelance writer living in Roseto, PA. Contact him at faddessi@gmail.com. WINTER 2014
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How stereotyping shapes the public image of today’s Italian Americans. Send your contributions to ddesanctis@osia.org or mail to: “It’s Only a Movie,” Italian America Magazine, 219 E Street, NE, Washington, DC 20002. Include name and daytime telephone number. No telephone calls please. Mailed submissions cannot be acknowledged. Contributors’ names, when known, are in parenthesis. By Dona De Sanctis
• FREE TO SAY “DAGO?” People are too sensitive these days, claimed Dennis Miller on his self-named radio show last summer, peppering his monologue with references to dagos and polacks. No offense intended, of course, since we should be able to “talk freely,” according to the former standup comic and current media personality. Hmmm...Wonder if Mr. Miller had used “the N-word” to advocate more liberal speech, would he still be on the air? Ask Michael Richards, the former “Seinfeld” star whose stand-up career ended abruptly in 2006 when he shouted “the N-word” at an African American heckler. [Michael Siciliano, Illinois] • THE GUIDO STRIKES AGAIN “I am a proud Italian American,” claims screenplay writer, Vito LaBruno, replying to a complaint from the National CSJ about his new movie, The Last American Guido, which he describes as “a romantic comedy.” He says he sank his life savings into this travesty of urban Italian American life, which has all the tired clichés we routinely shudder over: the gold chains, the hair gel, the buxom women, and the requisite Italian family dinner scene served with head slapping and a side of yelling. Yet another embarrassment from one of our own. To post a comment on the film’s Facebook page, go to https://www.facebook.com/TheLastAmerica nGuido?ref=ts&fref=ts • MOB CHEF? After serving eight years in prison for racketeering and extortion, Philly mob associate Angelo Lutz has gone “legit” with a restaurant in Collingswood, N.J. he’s called “the Kitchen Consigliere.” Weighing
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in at 400 pounds, the ex-con has literally cashed in on his gangster past by decorating the place with Mafia murals and sconces that look like handguns. And yes, he is one of ours. Years ago, his family name was changed from Luzzi. [Manny Alfano and the Italian American One Voice Coalition] • SCORE: GAYS, 1...ITALIAN AMERICANS, 0 Comedian Lewis Black decided it was wrong for Barilla Pasta to openly reject marketing to the gay community, but he had no problem attacking the Italian American family. In September, Barilla heir Guido Barilla was quoted as saying that his company doesn’t target sales among gays because it is “family oriented.” (He later apologized.) In his riff on Barilla’s “insensitivity” during “The Daily Show with Jon Stewart” Oct. 2, 2013, Black mocked the Italian American family dinner hour by showing clips of “Saturday Night Fever” and “The Real Housewives of New Jersey” in which participants hit each other, turn tables over and use foul language. Who’s insensitive now, Mr. Black? [National CSJ] AND ON THE BRIGHT SIDE.... Last fall, Ally Bank responded immediately to requests from the Sons of Italy National CSJ and the Italian American One Voice Coalition to pull a commercial called “the Hidden Mafia.” In it, a potential customer of the bank, leery of hidden bank costs, recalls episodes from his childhood as the son of a Mafia don. In its response, the bank profusely apologized and promised that “other Ally Bank ads will replace the Nothing Hidden spots.”
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Bulletin Board
What’s new: discounts, services and events
Why the Italian AP Program Is Important The Sons of Italy national headquarters in Washington, D.C. has been working with the Italian Embassy and other entities to encourage students to take the Advanced Placement (AP) Italian Program and the AP Italian Examination. It has prepared the talking points below to help interested and concerned parents to advise their children on the importance of this program. [See related story on page 3 for important details.] BACKGROUND: AP courses and exams are offered in all the major academic subjects (English, math, history, etc.) as well as in Spanish, French, German and other languages. Until 2005, there was no AP program in Italian. OSIA, along with other national Italian American organizations, spent thousands of dollars to help establish the program and its exam. When the program was threatened a few years ago, OSIA contributed additional funding to keep it going. Only the best and the brightest high school students take AP courses. The advantages for high school students who take AP courses are that those who do can enter college with already a certain number of college credits. They then can take more advanced course even in the freshman year or skip taking (and paying for) required courses. This means they save money on college tuition since they don’t have to pay for the credits already received through the AP classes taken.
Since these AP courses represent academic achievement, college admission boards tend to give preference to high school students who have taken them and passed the AP exam in the subject. So AP courses often “tip the scales” to help students get into the college of their choice. TALKING POINTS: • The AP Italian exam can be taken at any school that provides the AP program and exam in Italian. Local Italian consulates or the College Board, which runs the AP programs, can advise where those schools are. The exam currently costs about $85.00. • It is not necessary to take the Italian AP course to take the AP Italian exam. Students who are fluent or highly competent in Italian can take the test at a school that offers it and receive college credit when they pass it. • A student who successfully completes an AP course and passes the AP test, receives college credit for that course. Each college determines the preferred score when giving credit for passing AP examinations. No wonder high school students prefer taking courses that have AP programs. Spanish, French and German all do, which is why OSIA worked so hard to get an AP Italian Program established in 2005. But if the Italian AP program is abolished, it is likely that enrollment in Italian will drop at both the high school and the college levels. Can you help?
Museum Property for Sale The Italian American Museum in New York City’s Little Italy has put the three buildings it owns at 185-189 Grand St. on the market for $13 million, but is staying put. The three buildings contain the museum as well as residential units and storefronts. The sale is contingent on the museum remaining on the site. Scelsa is looking for a buyer who will tear down the buildings and build a bigger structure which would also house an expanded museum. The sale would double the museum’s current size, creating a new, high-tech, 4,000-square-foot facility with
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audio and visual exhibits that would tell the story of the neighborhood’s Italian immigrants, according to the museum president, Joseph Scelsa. The Italian American Museum opened in 2001. Its three buildings have about 10,000 square feet. A new building could be more than 22,000 square feet, according to Massey Knakal Realty Services, the broker handling the sale. Scelsa says construction won’t begin for at least two years at which time the museum will find temporary quarters. For more information, call 212/965 -9000 or email info@ItalianAmericanMuseum.org
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Bulletin Board
What’s new: discounts, services and events
Sons of Italy Speakers Bureau Need a speaker for your club meeting or a special event? Contact these speakers directly. Some may require travel expenses and/or honorariums. For more speakers see: www.osia.org at “Studies in Culture.”To apply, contact Dona De Sanctis at ddesanctis@osia.org. CALIFORNIA Amateur historian & teacher Lawrence Tartaglino speaks on Charles Ponzi and also on Italian contributions to civilization. Contact: 831 688 2961 (CA) Email: L_targaglino@hotmail.com LOUISIANA Children’s author Donna Gentile will speak on making Bible-related crafts and book signings of Nifty Thrifty Bible Crafts: Animals of the Old Testament. Contact: 985 774 4438 (LA) Email: awayoflifepublishing@live.com
New Bargain Tours of Italy This year, the Sons of Italy through its travel agency, Unitours, is offering tours of Italy that include Venice, Naples and Sicily. Prices start at $3,099, with multiple departure dates between February and October 2014. The tour package price includes round-trip airfare between the U.S. and Italy on Alitalia, four-star hotel accommodations, all breakfasts and dinners, and escorted tours to world-class museums and historical sites with English-speaking guides. For more information or to book your trip, email mpisano@unitours.com or call 1.800.777.7432. SEE AD PAGE 34.
WA S H I N G TO N, D C A R E A Writer/researcher Linda Barrett Osborne, who edited a massive “visual history” of Italian Americans for the Library of Congress, will speak on this impressive book and do book signings. [Her book is a Sons of Italy Winter 2014 title. See page 9 for details.] Contact: 202 269 0779 (DC) Email: lindabosborne@gmail.com
Unique New Italian Language Tool Italian is a rich language of about 250,000 words. As in most languages, often two or more words are linked to form a familiar expression. This is called a “collocation.” An example in English would be “zero tolerance.” Now, for the first time, we have an Italian dictionary of 200,000 collocations, thanks to Paola Tiberii and her Dizionario delle collocazioni, which includes a DVD-Rom digital version of the book with user instructions. This unique dictionary is a useful tool for translators, bilingual speakers, and students of Italian because mastery of Italian involves recognizing and using familiar collocations, which makes for a richer, more sophisticated use of written and spoken Italian. For example, instead of describing a very hot summer as un’estate molto calda one could use the more colorful un’estate rovente. Instead of calling a meal simply buono a better compliment would be describing it as un pasto gustoso o eccellente. Definitely a book for everyone who is interested in Italian. [Dizionario delle collocazioni; $48.95; 640 pages; Published by Edizioni Farinelli.] To order, call 212/751-2427. Web: www.edizionifarinelli.com. Email: edizioni@ mindspring.com]
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Italian American Military Heroes By Dona De Sanctis
Who was John Basilone? If you are up on your military history, you know he was the only enlisted man in World War II to receive both the Medal of Honor and the Navy Cross, our nation’s two highest awards for bravery in battle. Sgt. Basilone earned the Medal of Honor during the Battle of Guadalcanal, the first U.S. offensive against Japan in the Pacific in the fall of 1942. Outnumbered two to one against
20,000 crack Japanese troops, Basilone and his marines prevailed. Three years later, he received the Navy Cross posthumously for his actions in the Battle of Iwo Jima in which he was killed at age 29. Despite his remarkable battle heroics, John Basilone is known to relatively few people in the United States besides military buffs and the thousands of Italian Americans who wrote letters, signed petitions and
successfully lobbied the U.S. Postal Service for the John Basilone stamp, which was released in 2005.
The Wartime Stereotype Most people have never heard of John Basilone because his story is routinely passed over by documentary film makers, television writers and Hollywood producers, with the possible exception of the HBO mini-series, “The Pacific,” produced
Army Capt. Henry Mucci saved 500 American POWs in WWII, but was sidelined in the movie version of the dangerous rescue mission.
Army Chief of Staff, Gen. Ray Odierno with his son, Army Capt. Anthony Odierno at the 2010 Sons of Italy Foundation gala. Capt. Odierno lost his left arm fighting in Iraq. WINTER 2014
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The memory of WWII hero John Basilone was honored in 2005 with a U.S. postage stamp. ITALIAN AMERICA
Army Maj. Marie Rossi, the first American woman combat commander, died in the first Gulf War.
The most recent Italian American to receive the Medal of Honor, Sgt. Salvatore Giunta.
in 2010 by Tom Hanks and Steven Spielberg that features Basilone in several episodes. But for the most part, this heroic Marine has been ignored. For example, in 2005, Fox-TV aired War Stories, hosted by Oliver North, himself a former Marine. Inconceivably, the segment, Hell in the Pacific: Guadalcanal did not mention that battle’s most famous marine, whom General Douglas MacArthur called “a one-man army” for his virtual annihilation of a Japanese regiment that day.
about Guadalcanal, but not one has an Italian-American character whose heroics resembled those of Basilone.
prototype for this character was Frank Sinatra’s portrayal of Angelo Maggio in From Here to Eternity in 1953.
In fact, most Hollywood war movies don’t have any Italian-American characters at all. Yet, an estimated 1.2 million Italian Americans – about ten percent of the U.S. armed forces fought in World War II, according the late former vice president, Nelson Rockefeller in a speech he gave to the Italian American War Veterans of America in 1961.
Hollywood war movies traditionally use this stereotype of the ItalianAmerican G.I. to provide comic relief while leaving the battle heroics to the John Waynes and Jimmy Stewarts or, more recently, the Tom Hankses (Saving Private Ryan) and Bruce Willises (Hart’s War), who portray characters of Irish or Anglo-American heritage.
Hollywood also has neglected Basilone and his fellow Italian American military in the more than 600 World War II movies the industry has produced since 1940. A number of these movies were exclusively
When an Italian American character does make a rare appearance in an American war movie, he is invariably portrayed as a small, wiry man, who speaks with a strong New York accent and easily loses his temper. The
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Even when a war movie is based on actual events and real-life military heroes, the Italian American contribution is overlooked or diminished. In 2005, The Great Raid brought to the silver screen one of the most daring missions of World War II when a team ITALIAN AMERICA WINTER 2014 19
of about 30 U.S. Army Rangers rescued more than 500 American prisoners of war from a camp surrounded by 8,000 Japanese troops in the middle of a Philippine jungle. The rangers were trained and led by Colonel Henry Mucci, a 32-yearold West Point graduate, who was so charismatic that “we would have followed him anywhere,” said his company captain, Robert Prince. Yet in the movie, Mucci is relegated to the sidelines and Capt. Prince is given credit for the success of the mission. The audience learns nothing about Mucci, his Italian American background, the loyalty and trust he inspired in his men, or the fact that he turned a company of boys from the farms and ranches of Middle America into one of the first U.S. Special Operations Forces.
A Pantheon of Patriots The explanation for this unfortunate state of affairs lies in the fact that the stereotype of Italian American men as uneducated, violent criminals has entirely overshadowed the character and achievements of such real-life Italian Americans as Col. Mucci and Sgt. Basilone. As a result, it never occurs to film writers, directors and producers, who are casting the role of military hero to think that a heroic character with an Italian last name would be suitable or even believable to movie audiences. Yet since the birth of our nation, men and women of Italian heritage have proved their courage and loyalty to the United States on the battlefield. Three Italian regiments totaling 1,500 men assisted the colonists during the American Revolution. Nearly a century later, an estimated 5,000 to 10,000 Italian Americans WINTER 2014
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-- making him the most deadly fighter pilot in American history.
Bataan Death March POWs were freed by Col. Henry Mucci and his men.
fought in the American Civil War. More than 100 were Union officers, including four generals, two naval commanders, eleven naval officers and more than 28 majors and captains. The Union officer, Major Luigi Palma di Cesnola, received one of the first Medals of Honor while General Eduardo Ferrero of the 51st New York Volunteer Infantry Regiment, was among the first officers to command black troops. Since its establishment in 1862, the Medal of Honor has been given to at least 30 ItalianAmerican men for actions “above and beyond the call of duty.” During World War I, over 300,000 Italian Americans, including 87,000 Italian nationals, served in the U.S. military, among them, the future mayor of New York City, Fiorello La Guardia. Italian Americans constituted 12 percent of all U.S. forces during the Great War. An ItalianAmerican infantryman, Michael Valente received the Medal of Honor for actions in France. The heroism continued in World War II. Although Hollywood has never produced a movie about him, the flying “Ace of Aces” Major Don Gentile of the U.S. Army Air Force, shot down more than 30 Nazi aircraft
The record of Italian American military achievement continues today as the United States battles terrorism. During the Gulf War, U.S. Army Major Marie Therese Rossi became America’s first female combat commander to fly into battle. At only 32 years of age, she was killed in Saudi Arabia when her helicopter went down in 1991. Seven years later, in 1998 Marine Four-Star General Anthony Zinni commanded Operation Desert Fox, which saw the U.S. bombing of Iraq and more recently, in December 2003, Army Lt. General Raymond Odierno, a West Point graduate, led the troops that captured Saddam Hussein. Today, Gen. Odierno is Chief of Staff of the Army, and one of the president’s top military advisors. In 2005, Marine General Peter Pace was made chairman of the Joint Chiefs of Staff by President George W. Bush. Another Italian American, Navy Admiral Edmund Giambastiani, Jr. was appointed vice chairman. For the first time in its history, the United States’ top military advisors were both Italian American. [Editor’s Note: The Sons of Italy Foundation has honored all three officers as well as Staff Sgt. Salvatore Giunta as part of its strong support for the U.S. military.] This is a sterling record of military achievement and patriotism. Isn’t it time that John Basilone and these other Italian-American heroes received the media recognition they have so richly earned? Dona De Sanctis, Ph.D., is editor-in-chief of Italian America Magazine. Contact her through the Sons of Italy national headquarters in Washington, D.C. at ddesanctis@osia. org or call (202) 547-2900. ITALIAN AMERICA
Giovinezza!
News for Young Italian Americans
Volunteering for a Good Cause (and Credit?) By Diane Crespy
Are you a high school student who needs service credits to graduate? Perhaps you are a college student, building your résumé or testing out a future career? Maybe you simply want to make a difference. If any of this sounds familiar, consider volunteering, an effective and rewarding way to accomplish your goal. There are many worthy organizations and causes out there to choose from, including some near you that could use some help. If you are proud of your Italian heritage and are interested in promoting it, consider volunteering with an Italian-American organization, including Sons of Italy lodges in your community. Group/Project Location
Type of Projects
Timeframe
Contact
Garibaldi-Meucci Museum (Sons of Italy owned & operated)
Staten Island, NY
Various; range from admin support to giving tours
Year-round
Stephanie Lundegard: slundegard@garibaldimeuccimuseum.org
Sons of Italy Grand Lodge of New York
Bellmore, NY
Various; range from administrative support, mailings, filing, etc.
Year-round
Carol DiTrapani, Executive Assistant: firstladyjoy@aol.com
Web-based Italian Ancestors Project (Sons of Italy partner)
Recording data from Italian birth, marriage and death certificates
Year-round; no minimum time commitment
familysearch.org/italian-ancestors/gettingstarted/
Italian American festivals
Nationwide
Festivals may welcome volunteers for a variety of jobs.
Year-round; most Search for festivals near you and contact them popular months directly to find out if they need volunteers: are June-October www.osia.org/culture/festivals-by-state
Italian American Museum of Los Angeles
Los Angeles
Various; range from exhibit preparation to special events to outreach
Year-round
Fill out the volunteer application form online: italianhall.org/volunteer
National Italian American Sports Hall of Fame
Chicagoland area
Various, including non-credit internships
Year-round
Contact: info@niashf.org www.niashf.org/support/volunteer/
Alzheimer’s Association (A Sons of Italy national charity)
Nationwide
Various; range from participating in a walk to office help, to advocacy
Year-round
Search for available opportunities with a chapter or walk near you: www.alz.org/join_the_cause_volunteer
Cooley’s Anemia Foundation (A Sons of Italy national charity)
Various sites nationwide
Care Walk, the CAF’s largest national fund-raiser. Volunteer to help at a walk, or start your own.
May 4, 2014, and Nathalia Perozo: leading up to that N.Perozo@thalassemia.org day www.thalassemia.org
Doug Flutie Jr. Foundation for Autism (A Sons of Italy national charity)
Massachusetts (various areas within state)
Special event assistance
Multiple times a year
Lisa Collins: collins@flutiefoundation.org www.dougflutiejrfoundation.org/DonateVolunteer
Alzheimer’s Association (A Sons of Italy national charity)
Nationwide
Various; range from participating in a walk to office help, to advocacy
Year-round
Search for available opportunities with a chapter or walk near you: www.alz.org/join_the_cause_volunteer
*Please note: This list is not intended to be all-inclusive. With the exception of Sons of Italy-related opportunities, the organizations/projects included here were chosen at random.
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By Karen Haid
Americans are proud of their blue jeans. Once the garb of cowboys and manual laborers, denim pants have gradually worked their way into everyday casual attire and even haute couture. The heavy twilled cotton cloth almost seems to have “Made in America’ stamped in its very fibers and is intrinsically associated with Levi Strauss & Company. However, this durable material predates the American West by hundreds of years and was first made in Italy centuries ago.
Merchants & Mariners
The origins and dissemination of this popular cloth hearken back to a time when coastal Italian city-states were known for their preeminence on the seas. The busy ports received goods from all over the known world and their mariners sailed the oceans and seas for commerce and exploration. Genoa, located on the Ligurian Sea in northwest Italy, was a powerful maritime republic and by the 13th century its sphere of influence reached from North Africa to the Black Sea. Today, Genoa is Italy’s sixth largest city and most important port. It also was the birthplace of Cristoforo Colombo.
“Genuensis, ergo mercator” (Genovese, therefore merchant). This ancient saying may best sum up Genoa’s long nautical and mercantile history. From medieval times, the city was also known for its textile production, and the marriage of the fabric industry with mercantilism brought about the diffusion of the heavy, blue cloth used for modern-day jeans. The dye was first obtained from the woad plant and then from the indigo plant (indigofera tinctoria), whose use was documented in Genoa as early as the 12th century. For artists, this blue dye was a precious commodity. The French court WINTER 2014
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chose blue as its royal color, and the church selected it to represent purity and, consequently, the Virgin Mary. The earliest strong blue cloth remaining from Genoa today takes the form of an artist’s canvas upon which a striking collection of monochrome paintings were executed in the 16th century. These works on blue canvas depict the Passion of Christ and are in Genoa’s Museo Diocesano. In that period, the heavy blue cloth had a host of uses, such as coverings for merchandise aboard ships, sails and fabric for sailors’ pants.
From “Genoa” to “Jeans”
The cloth quickly spread through the contact of Genoese sailors with the ports of Europe. By the second half of the 1500s, the blue fabric was widely exported to England and was referred to with the French translation of Genoa, “Gênes.” From that, the word was anglicized to “geanes” or “jeans.” “Blue jeans” came from the French “blue de Genes” or “blue from Genoa.” The word “denim” is of later origin and comes from “de Nîmes,” denoting the French city that traded with Genoa and where the rough cloth was also made.
A pair of original Levi Strauss & Co. Jeans made between 1905 and 1922.
In England, jean fabric was predominantly used by the lower and middle classes who appreciated its economical price and durability. Compared with other cotton fabrics available in Europe at the time, the heavy cloth cost less to produce and was thus a popular choice for work clothes and everyday attire. The jeans’ characteristic look was achieved by dying only the vertical strands of thread blue and leaving the horizontals their natural ecru color. Unbeknownst to the Genoese weavers of the time, the resultant fabric’s gradual stonewashed effect would eventually be prized by the fashion industry almost 500 years later. ITALIAN AMERICA
Jeans in Art
Garibaldi Wore Jeans
In Woman Begging with Two Children, the humble, yet dignified beggar family asks for alms. Flanked by two children, the woman in the center wears a long denim skirt reminiscent of the hippie movement. The artist takes great care to show the tears, wrinkles and stitching in his cloth-
In America, the first denim factory was opened in Amoskeag, New Hampshire in 1838. In San Francisco, 35 years later, Levi Strauss and tailor Jacob Davis patented what many consider the first pair of jeans – thirteen years
For skeptics, the paintings of the Master of the Blue Jeans prove wearing jeans was commonplace long ago. The anonymous artist was active in northern Italy in the late 1600s and painted poor people wearing jeans or Genoese cloth. Previously, the paintings had been thought to be the work of a handful of different artists. However, in 2004, a Viennese curator put together several of these late Baroque paintings and assigned them to a single artist, coming up with the colorful moniker in homage to the Genoese cloth featured in several of his realistic genre scenes.
“Woman Begging with Two Children” by the late 17th century Master of the Blue Jeans. Flanked by two children, the woman wears a long denim skirt.
Detail from “Woman Begging with Two Children” shows the great care taken by the artist to paint the wrinkles and stitching in her clothing.
ing. His oil, Woman Sewing with Two Children features a woman in a light blue, ripped dungaree apron, doing mending. The long apron with its many folds has a soft, pre-washed appearance. In contrast, the darker blue jacket in A Beggar Boy with a Piece of Pie has held onto its color despite the garment’s tears and tattered edges. The images of the Master of the Blue Jeans are both artistically beautiful, and socially relevant in their depiction of a 17th century Italian pauper’s life. An aristocrat would never have worn the Genoese cloth, but might have used it for curtains and bed coverings. WINTER 2014 23 ITALIAN AMERICA
Several centuries after the Master of the Blue Jeans, at least one very famous Italian would don the Genoese cloth, a fabric that his father, also a sailor, had dressed in before him. Giuseppe Garibaldi proudly wore the famed blue jeans of Genoa. The very pair he was wearing along with his red shirt when he and his men disembarked on their Expedition of the Thousand in Marsala, Sicily in 1860 are on view in their faded glory with a patch over the left knee in Rome’s Museo Centrale del Risorgimento [Central Museum of the Unification].
(Top) “The Passion of Christ,” a 16th century monochrome on a blue jeans canvas.
Genoa, home to the blue jeans, is Italy’s most important port.
[ Museo Diocesano, Genoa].
(Bottom) The woad plant first supplied the blue dye for jeans in medieval Genoa.
after Garibaldi slipped on his Genoese britches in 1860 for his important role in Italian unification. Genoa is proud of its jeans and in 2004 a local high school entered the Guinness World Records with the largest pair of jeans ever made. Sewn together from hundreds of old jeans, the pants were 18 meters (59 feet) long with a five-meter (196-inch) waist. The Italians even beat the Americans in plus sizes! Karen Haid is currently writing a book about Calabria. Contact her at karenhaid@yahoo.com. ITALIAN AMERICA WINTER 2014 23
OSIA Nation ®
MAKING A DIFFERENCE
NEBRASKA
PENNSYLVANIA
Sons of Italy National President Anthony J. Baratta was the guest of honor at a September dinner in Omaha, attended by officers of the state’s Grand Lodge and filial lodge, Cristoforo Colombo #1419. Chartered in 1934, the Colombo Lodge partners with the state’s Grand Lodge in such initiatives as a golf tournament to raise funds to help people with Cooley’s anemia. During the dinner, Immediate Past State President Butch Turco received a certificate of recognition and President Baratta reviewed some challenges facing OSIA: an aging and declining membership; the difficulty attracting younger members; and raising funds for philanthropy.
The international singing sensation Giada Valenti starred in a Christmas concert sponsored December 8 by the Piazza Nuova Lodge #2665 in Newtown, PA. Despite an unexpected heavy snowfall, her fans came to hear the Venetian-born singer and her band perform a medley of old standards as well as classic Italian melodies and Christmas music, reports lodge president John Oliano. Lodge volunteers Antoinette DiNucci and Anthony Verderame and their children decorated the theater and the show closed with the auction of a gift basket valued at $1,850.00. Wells Fargo also contributed $1,000 to the lodge scholarship fund.
OSIA National President Anthony Baratta (L.) presents Immediate Past Grand Lodge President Butch Turco with an OSIA Certificate of Recognition as the current state president, Dr. Tom Pruse looks on.
COLORADO More than 2,100 people came to the first-ever Italian festival in Canon City last September. It was hosted by the Royal Gorge Lodge #2866 and included traditional Italian treats, crafts, and school children dancing the Tarantella. President Bill Scutti says it will now be a yearly event. WINTER 2014
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Colorado discovers Italy!
Singer Giada Valenti
CALLING LODGE PRESIDENTS As lodge president, you are responsible for sending the names and addresses of all new members to your Grand Lodge. You also must inform your Grand Lodge of all address corrections and changes, too! Grand Lodge information is listed at www.osia.org under “About OSIA” or call OSIA National at 202/547 2900. ITALIAN AMERICA
OSIA Nation ®
OSIA MOURNS The Sons of Italy lost one of its most visionary leaders with the death of its National Past President Albert J. Ricc e l l i , S r. , of New Jersey, who Albert J. Riccelli, Sr. was OSIA national died November president from 20, 2013 at 1989 to 1991. age 83. He led OSIA from 1989 to 1991 during which time he helped make possible the rapid growth of the Sons of Italy Foundation (SIF). He also supported the very first National Education & Leadership Awards (NELA) Gala as the SIF’s premiere fundraiser. Under his guidance, the Golden Lion Sponsorship Program was created and expanded, raising nearly $600,000.00 for scholarships in two short years. OSIA/SIF National Executive Director Philip Piccigallo attributes the current high profile, public and global status of the SIF, National Leadership Grants Program and NELA Gala itself, directly to National President Riccelli’s “invaluable” leadership and foresight. “He now is part of the history and legacy of the Order Sons of Italy in America,” he says. To honor his memory, contributions in his name can be made to Feed the Children Campaign, PO Box 36, Oklahoma City, Oklahoma, 73101-0036.
OSIA LODGES AT WORK
Special recognition JOHN DeBLASIS of the Uguaglianza Lodge #754 in Bellaire, OH, was named Co-Italian American of the Year by the Upper Valley Italian Heritage Festival in Wheeling WV last July. It is the second largest such festival in the US, attracting more than 150,000 people every year. RALPH DI FULVIO of the Cincinnatus Lodge #1191 in Cincinnati, OH has been collecting and donating cooked holiday turkeys to local soup kitchens and homeless shelters for the past five years. He began with only four in 2008 but this year, helped by donations including one from his own lodge, he gave away 105 turkeys. His lodge named him Man of the Year in 2013 for this and other charitable acts of his. DONNA GENTILE of the Frank Cusimano Lodge 2449 in Slidell, LA, has published her book, Nifty Thrifty Bible Crafts: Animals of the Old Testament that features 16 Animal-Narrated Bible stories plus 32 easy craft patterns to teach children about the Bible. ($16.25 plus s&h) To order, email awayoflifepublishing@live.com JOHN MARTINO of the Massimo D’Azeglio Lodge #760 in Braintree, MA, has belonged to the Sons of Italy for 73 years, nearly half of them as an administrative officer. He is also a WWII veteran. Auguri, John! STEVEN PERETTI of the Buona Fortuna Lodge #2835 in Pensacola, FL, has published a collection of his cartoons, Laff Out Loud. ($10.95) Available on amazon.com. He is a Merchant Marine chief engineer. SARITA “SARAH” RUMA is the first woman ever elected president of the Cristoforo Colombo Lodge #1419 in Omaha, NE since the lodge’s founding more than 90 years ago. Her historic election made the local papers, including a detailed article in The World Herald about her and the lodge’s charitable endeavors. She is a mental health therapist. SCOTT TURNER, a charter member of Pikes Peak Lodge #2870 in Colorado Springs, CO, wrote a proclamation to make the week of October 14, 2013 “Italian Culture and Heritage Week” and then successfully lobbied his county authorities to issue it. THE TRIANGLE LODGE #2817 in Raleigh, NC successfully lobbied Gov. Pat McCrory to proclaim the 2013 Columbus Day celebration also Italian Heritage Day throughout the state. “This is significant,” says lodge president Bob Giannuzzi, “since most of the South doesn’t recognize Columbus Day.” He thanks Judge Ann Marie Calabria for her valuable assistance that made the proclamation a reality.
GOT A GOOD STORY?
Have you or your lodge done something remarkable that makes a difference to your community or promotes our heritage? Send details with your lodge’s name and number (photo optional) to: ITALIAN AMERICA Magazine, 219 E Street NE, Washington, DC 20002 or E-mail ddesanctis@osia.org. Include daytime phone number. Entries not acknowledged and photos not returned unless requested. WINTER 2014 25 ITALIAN AMERICA
ITALIAN AMERICA WINTER 2014 25
The Sons of Italy Foundation
Foundation Focus By Joseph J. DiTrapani, President, The Sons of Italy Foundation As elected stewards of the Sons of Italy Foundation (SIF), officers and trustees are charged with overseeing the SIF’s operation and ensuring we fulfill our commitment to improving the lives of Italian Americans and others in need. This often includes finding creative ways to fund projects, especially methods that do not burden our members. One such method is the acceptance of legacy gifts, planned gifts intended for deferred or long-term use, and the simplest type is a bequest, a revocable gift made through a will or trust. Although not a new gift option for the Foundation, bequests enable members to make a future impact without overburdening themselves in the present. These gifts help secure a limitless future for the SIF. I hope you will consider supporting the Foundation’s future in this profound way. When you include the SIF in your will or trust, your gift helps the Foundation set a vision for the future and plan accordingly. Remember, even a modest gift helps.
®
HELPING THOSE IN NEED
Your bequest may help in another way too; it can inspire others to consider making a similar commitment. This gift option may work for you if you’re unable to make as large a gift as you’d like in your lifetime. Establishing a bequest gift enables you to make a substantial contribution that doesn’t have an impact on your current financial situation but does have a significant impact for the SIF when the gift is received. Additionally, bequests often require minimal resources to establish and may provide a tax benefit to your heirs by reducing your taxable estate. But perhaps most important, you’re creating a legacy that will endure long after your lifetime as it helps perpetuate the SIF’s philanthropic work far into the future. And you control that legacy. You may make a bequest gift for any amount and may designate it for a specific purpose or make it unrestricted so the Foundation may put it to use when and where it is needed most, maximizing its impact. I think, when you care so much about something as we care about the future of our heritage and the SIF, it is worth making a commitment to that future. I’m asking you to consider that today. Thank you.
How to Plan Now for the Future Here are some steps to consider establishing a bequest gift to the SIF. Consult your advisors: As with any major financial decision, it’s recommended you consult your financial and legal advisors to discuss what options are best for you and what impact they will have on you, your estate and your heirs. Include the gift in your will/trust or codicil: Consult your advisors about including language designating a gift for the SIF in your will or trust. If you already have an established one, that can be done with a codicil, or amendment. Notify us of your bequest gift: We kindly ask that you notify the Foundation, if you wish, of your intention to include the SIF in your estate plans. For more information: Please call 202.547.2900 and ask for the Legacy Giving Department or email sif@osia.org.
Attention All Lodge Officers! Are your members complaining that they are not receiving their magazines? Here’s some information that might help them. As lodge officers, you must send the names and addresses of all new members to your state’s Grand Lodge. You also must inform your Grand Lodge of all address corrections and changes, too! It is best to do this every month. Grand Lodge contact information is listed at www.osia.org under “About OSIA” or call OSIA National at 202/547 2900. Grand and Subordinate Lodges must observe the following deadlines in sending their updated mailing lists to ABR, which prepares the labels for our magazine mailings. They are: December 1 – winter issue March 1 – spring issue June 1 – summer issue Sept 1 – fall issue WINTER 2014
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ITALIAN AMERICA
News from National Sons of Italy Represented at Embassy Dinner The Sons of Italy was among the guests invited to a dinner honoring Italian Prime Minister Enrico Letta at the home of Italian Ambassador Claudio Bisogniero in Washington, DC last October. The Order was represented by its national executive director, Dr. Philip R. Piccigallo. About 50 prominent leaders attended, includ Photo: (L to R): Italian ing U.S. Supreme Court Prime Minister Enrico Letta, OSIA National Executive Justice Samuel Alito, the Director Philip R. Piccigallo House Minority Leader and Italian Ambassador Claudio Bisogniero. Nancy Pelosi, and the new U.S. Ambassador to Italy, John Phillips. The United States is Italy’s third largest export market, and Italy is the United State’s 15th largest export market. In addition, between five and six million U.S. tourists visit Italy each year.
Special Discount for Sons of Italy Official Cookbook
WHAT NATIONAL DOES FOR YOU
Travel the World, Help the Sons of Italy The Sons of Italy (OSIA) has formed a new partnership with renowned tour company Collette Vacations, opening up the world to our members who want to have a first-rate travel experience while also helping OSIA. The new travel program will offer four tours a year to various hot travel destinations. (Except Italy, of course. Be sure to check out our trips to Italy through our partner Unitours.) And while you’re experiencing exciting itineraries in places you’ve always want to go, you’re helping support OSIA’s Supreme Lodge. Collette is donating 10% of all land and air bookings on our tours back to OSIA. This is just another way we are focusing on generating non-dues revenue to support OSIA activities. Our first tour will be in Summer 2014 to Alaska. See the ad in the back of this issue or visit www.osia.org for more information. Not interested in traveling to Alaska? You can book any of Collette’s many dozens of other tours and still earn a donation for OSIA. Visit www.collettevacations.com for itineraries and call 800-437-0235 to book. Remember to mention “Order Sons of Italy in America” and promotion code “U001.AX1.918” for OSIA to get credit. Buon viaggio!
Alzheimer Donation
For the Love of Italian Cooking, the official cookbook of the Sons of Italy, is on sale for $24.95 with free shipping and handling. The hardcover book has 240 pages and features more than 200 traditional recipes from Sons of Italy members coast to coast. Recipes include dishes as simple as “Linguine all’aglio e olio” (linguine with garlic and oil) and as complex as “Arancini siciliani” (Sicilian rice balls). Also included are such special holiday treats for Christmas, New Year’s Day, St. Joseph’s Day, San Gennaro, and Easter along with feast day menus, antipasti and desserts. Proceeds from the book’s sales help fund the cultural, educational and philanthropic programs of the Sons of Italy. To order, call 800/552-6742 or email nationaloffice@osia.org WINTER 2014 27 ITALIAN AMERICA
SIF President Joseph DiTrapani (R.) and SIF CEO Philip R. Piccigallo (L.) present the SIF contribution of $80,000 to Alzheimer’s Association President Harry Johns at the Rita Hayworth Gala at the Waldorf Astoria Hotel in New York city on October 22, 2013. ITALIAN AMERICA WINTER 2014 27
®
The Commission for Social Justice
fighting defamation
The CSJ Perspective By Carlo Carlozzi, Jr., CSJ National President
It’s disappointing how many of our national leaders do not publically protest the way Italian Americans are portrayed in the media. In fact, some, like former New York City mayor, Rudy Giuliani, are open fans of the-Mafia-as-entertainment. So I am delighted that two famous Italian Americans recently came out strongly against stereotyping. Their stand was picked up by the media, which helped educate the general American public about the problem. The first is former New York governor, Mario Cuomo, 81, who made the news last October when he lifted a 40year, self-imposed “embargo” and saw The Godfather for the first time. It happened during a film festival at Fordham University Law School in New York City October 20th. As reported in The New York Times, Mr. Cuomo found the film artistically valid, but said it sent a “horrible message” that Italian Americans take the law into their own hands. As such, he finds that the stereotypes in movies like The Godfather and TV series like The Sopranos “spill over” into politics. Early in his political career, he said, polls indicated that some people would not vote for him because they thought he had connections to organized crime. A month earlier, his son, Andrew Cuomo, the current governor of New York, supported Italian American advocacy groups, who were protesting the name of a food truck, the Wandering Dago. “The name is obviously offensive. If someone didn’t find it offensive, I would question that
person,” Cuomo said. “We don’t allow stereotypes and we don’t allow slurs [in New York state],” he said. During the summer of 2013, the food truck’s name got it banned from the busy Empire State Plaza, the state government complex in Albany, and the even busier Saratoga Race Course. Both are run by state agencies. In turn, the truck owners, Andrea Loguidice and Brandon Snooks filed a Freedom of Speech lawsuit against the state agencies, claiming a business loss of $350,000. The term, “dago” is offensive to many Italian Americans, but apparently not to the owners, who both claim to be of Italian descent. They think the term is “humorous” and use it “as a tribute” to their hardworking immigrant ancestors. [Can you believe these folks?] Apparently, neither of them knows the real meaning of the word. Snooks thinks it comes from a time when Italian immigrants were paid “as the day goes,” which is wrong. The term came from Louisiana, where it originally referred to people of Spanish origin, but at the end of the 19th century, according to the New York Times [January 28, 1896], it was applied to Italians and is a corruption of “Diego,” a common Spanish name. Learn your history, Mr. Snooks! More good news. In November, 2013, Judge Mae D’Agostino rejected the truck owners’ motion that would have allowed them to sell their food at the two previously banned sites. The case is still ongoing, but thanks to the Cuomos, the media are hearing our side of the story. Sempre Avanti!
War Heroes Remembered About 200 veterans and their families came to see the CSJ traveling exhibit, Italian American Medal of Honor Recipients October 30th in Connecticut. It was mounted at the Newington Veterans Administration Healthcare Facility, thanks to Raeleen D’Agostino Mautner, Ph.D., who organized the initiative. Dr. Mautner is a psychologist, author, radio personality, and columnist in Connecticut. It is the first time that there was an exhibit on Italian American heroes for the Veterans of Connecticut, she says. This was a collaborative effort. Carlo Carlozzi, national CSJ president, waived the $200 exhibit fee while WINTER 2014
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hand-outs of magazines, calendars and newspapers were donated by OSIA National; Manny Alfano of the Italian American One Voice Coalition; Fra Noi and The Italian Tribune. Army veteran John Sarlo and a member of the Connecticut CSJ, Frank Travisano assisted Dr. Mautner. “It was so successful that we have been invited back for next year,” says Dr. Mautner. ITALIAN AMERICA
The Perfect Gift
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Looking for a unique present for family or friends? Give the gift of your rich Italian American heritage with a one-year subscription to Italian America magazine, the most widely read publication in the U.S. for people of Italian descent. We will contact your gift recipient telling him or her (or them) of your present. Fill out the form below and return to us ASAP.
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Letters to the Editor I am deeply offended by the advertisement for a T-shirt that reads: “I’m not Yelling… I’m Italian” that ran in the advertising section of the fall 2013 issue. I think that it’s a contradiction to the information presented in the magazine’s “It’s Only a Movie…” column. Anthony J. Barbaro, Brooklyn, NY Editor’s Note: We agree with Mr. Barbaro that while this is not as offensive as most stereotypes, it still presents us as loud. We will be more vigilant in the future.
Re: the “Coast to Coast Culture” article by Gabi Logan in the Fall 2013 issue, I would like to add that our museum, the American Italian Heritage Museum in Albany, NY, which was mentioned in the piece, has 3,000 square feet of space; ten exhibit rooms; a Hall of History; and a gift shop. The exhibits, including photographs, artifacts, memorabilia and folk arts as well as fine art all of which honor Italian immigrants and tell their story. Please let your readers know that our museum is worth visiting. We have been the guardians of immigrant history and culture since 1979. Prof. Philip J. DiNovo, Albany, NY [Editor’s Note: Prof. DiNovo founded the American Italian Heritage Museum, which is run by the American Italian Heritage Association.] WINTER 2014 29 ITALIAN AMERICA
February Deadline for SIF Scholarships The deadline for the Sons of Italy Foundation (SIF) National Leadership Grants is February 28, 2014. Applications bearing a later postmark will not be considered. Every year, the SIF awards about 10 to 12 scholarships that assist outstanding Italian American students with their college and graduate studies. The grants include Study in Italy awards. In recent years, they have ranged from $4,000 to $25,000. Scholarship information and application can be downloaded on http://www.osia.org/ students/scholarships.php. Questions? Contact Laura Kelly at the Sons of Italy’s national headquarters in Washington, D.C. Tel: 202-5472900. Email: scholarships@osia.org. CORRECTIONS AND CLARIFICATIONS • The title of a book published by member William Aiello, mentioned in the fall issue, was incorrect. It should have read “The Sheriff Wags His Tail.” The editor regrets the error. • The documentary, I’m Staying with My Boys on the life of Marine Sgt. John Basilone is no longer available. It was featured in the Fall 2013 issue, but the telephone number given is no longer operative. We deeply regret the confusion.
ITALIAN AMERICA WINTER 2014 29
Italian America The Official Publication of
Italian America Magazine is produced by the national headquarters of the Order Sons of Italy in America, 219 E Street, NE, Washington, DC 20002. Tel: 202/5472900. Email: nationaloffice@osia.org OSIA National Executive Director Philip R. Piccigallo, Ph.D. Office Manager Andrea Beach Director of Development Diane Crespy Publications Editor Dona De Sanctis, Ph.D. Social Media & Communications Coordinator Krystyne Hayes Administrative Assistant Laura Kelly Executive Assistant Elisa Wilkinson Italian America is the official publication of the Order Sons of Italy in America (OSIA), the largest and longest-established organization of American men and women of Italian heritage. Italian America provides timely information about OSIA, while reporting on individuals, institutions, issues, and events of current or historical significance in the Italian-American community nationwide. Italian America (ISSN: 1089-5043, USPS: 015-735) is published quarterly in the winter, spring, summer and fall by OSIA, 219 E St. NE, Washington, DC 20002. Periodicals postage paid at Washington, D.C., and at additional mailing offices. © 2014 Order Sons of Italy in America. All rights reserved. Reproduction by any method without permission of the editor is prohibited. Statements of fact and opinion are the responsibility of the authors and do not necessarily imply an opinion on the part of the officers, employees, or members of OSIA. Mention of a product or service in advertisements or text does not mean that it has been tested, approved or endorsed by OSIA, the Commission for Social Justice, or the Sons of Italy Foundation. Italian America accepts query letters and letters to the editor. Please do not send unsolicited manuscripts. Italian America assumes no responsibility for unsolicited materials. Annual subscriptions are $20, which are included in dues for OSIA members. Single copies are $2.98 each. OSIA MEMBERS: Please send address changes to your local lodge. Do not contact the OSIA National Office. POSTMASTER: Send address changes to Italian America, 219 E St. NE, Washington, DC 20002. Subscriptions are available through the OSIA National Office, 219 E Street, NE, Washington, DC 20002. OSIA membership information is available at (800) 552-OSIA or at www.osia.org. Archives are maintained at the Immigration History Research Center, University of Minnesota, St. Paul, Minn. Printing by Printing Solutions Inc., Sterling, Va. To advertise: Call Pat Rosso at 215/206-4678 or email her at pieassociates @comcast.net. Also see www.osia.org for advertising rates, specs, demographics, etc. WINTER WINTER 2014 2014 30 30
By Anthony J. Baratta, OSIA National President “What does National do for me?” In the five months since becoming your president, I have been asked that question a number of times. It always surprises me that some of our members have to ask it and I am always happy to explain the crucial role our national headquarters plays in our beloved Order. Let’s start with the basics. Your national office is in an historic district at the foot of Capitol Hill in Washington, DC. Your national executive director is Philip R. Piccigallo, Ph.D, who has led the office since 1989. Under him is a small staff of five full-time people and one part-timer. And here’s what they do for you: ITALIAN AMERICA Magazine: This quarterly full-color magazine on Italian American news and culture is the “glue” that holds our vast network of lodges together. It is free to all members and devoted to Italian and Italian American culture, history, and current events as well as lodge news. QUESTO MESE E-newsletter: This free, colorful and informative monthly Enewsletter goes to members as well as the general public who are online. It is chock full of information on OSIA activities, lodge news, cultural highlights, special bargains and even an Italian lesson. MEMBER DISCOUNTS: Your national office also negotiates special OSIA discounts on Italian products, specialty items, books, language lessons, genealogy research, travel and other services. They are all found on our website www.osia.org WEBSITE: And speaking of the website, National also designed and updates this site, which presents news about OSIA that goes all over the nation and the world. This cutting-edge website receives upwards of one million hits every month. SOCIAL NETWORKING To attract the younger generation, National created a Facebook page as well as a Twitter account and maintains a dialogue with young people who prefer to use these new communication tools to stay in touch. ITALIAN STUDIES: Working with the government of Italy through its embassy in Washington as well as with other Italian American groups, National promotes Italian courses at U.S. public schools and universities. It also provides how-to information to help communities start Italian in their local schools. SCHOLARSHIPS: National administers and raises money for the Sons of Italy Foundation (SIF) prestigious national scholarships that send young Italian Americans to Harvard, Princeton, Yale, and other leading institutions. MEMBERSHIP: National produces OSIA recruitment materials and brochures to help lodges attract new members. It assists new lodges with their charters and paperwork. MEETINGS AND CONVENTIONS: National is entirely responsible for OSIA’s bi-annual convention and its three yearly leadership conferences. This includes selecting a hotel, negotiating extremely competitive rates, organizing all meetings, special events, multiple award ceremonies, and banquet galas and securing as guests important government officials and celebrities. ADMINISTRATION: National administers the enormous day-to-day accounting and tax records that keep OSIA and its 700-plus lodges in compliance with federal laws, including the IRS. THE NELA GALA: And finally, through its annual National Education & Leadership Awards (NELA) gala in Washington, DC, National raises funds for the SIF’s programs in philanthropy and scholarships. Guests at the NELA black-tie gala include the president of the United States, Washington decision-makers and Italian American leaders in many fields. Aren’t you getting a bargain?
ITALIAN ITALIANAMERICA AMERICA
The Sons of Italy Shoppers Guide
GIVE THE GIFT OF HERITAGE Each item hand-picked to guarantee your child a friendly introduction to the language and culture of Italy. Toys & Books DVDs & CDs Clothing Pinocchio
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Your Ad HERE! Remember! Sons of Italy members receive a special discount of 15%! Repeat advertisers also receive a discount. For more information, contact Pat Rosso at 215/206-4678 or email her at pieassociates@ comcast.net.
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WINTER 2014 31 ITALIAN AMERICA
ITALIAN AMERICA WINTER 2014 31
Travel and Tours to Italy
Problems With Your Magazine? Italian America magazine is produced by the Sons of Italy’s national headquarters in Washington, D.C. Every month, the national office receives letters, phone calls and emails from readers who are not receiving their magazine. “The reasons are varied, but the solutions are simple,” says Editor-in-Chief Dona De Sanctis. “Simply follow the instructions below and the problem will be solved,” she says. So….if you are: A LODGE MEMBER: You can only verify, correct or change your address through your local lodge. Please do not contact the national office. It cannot accept address changes. A LODGE PRESIDENT: To ensure that all new and renewing members of your lodge get their magazines and that former or non-paying members do not get it for free, you must send updated member rosters to your Grand Lodge on a regular basis. Check with your Grand Lodge to find out its deadlines. A GRAND OR SUBORDINATE LODGE REPRESENTATIVE: Please update your rosters with ABR Services every three months according to these deadlines: Mar. 1, June 1, Sept. 1, and Dec. 1. Refer to the instructions previously emailed to you. If you have any questions, please contact Diane Crespy at dcrespy@osia.org or 202/5472900. A SUBSCRIBER OR NATIONAL AT-LARGE MEMBER ONLY: Please send address changes to the OSIA National Office; Attn: Address change; 219 E Street NE; Washington, DC 20002.
WINTER 2014
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ITALIAN AMERICA
Travel and Tours to Italy
WINTER 2014 33 ITALIAN AMERICA
ITALIAN AMERICA WINTER 2014 33
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Adv #5710 - Italian America Magazine - 7.5” x 9.75”
ITALIAN AMERICA
On The Bookshelf Books by and about Italian Americans
“Sciatu Mio,
you are the reason why I breathe.” By Frank J. Pennisi
A rich and multi-layered romantic novel. Historical events are interwoven with stories for control of the sulfur mines in Sicily, and the wars between the Irish and Italians for control of the N.Y. docks. “Family Tale Captivates with Sicilian intrique, romance, drana and history.” - SUN NEWS “A Riveting True Story...would make a Compelling movie.” - CREATESPACE “An Earnest, Vivid Portrait about a family that stands up to the Mafia.” - KIRKUS BOOK REVIEW And from Amazon.com Readers; “Pulls you in, I Loved It, Passionate, Emotional, Heartwarming”” Available on Amazon.com, Kindle and Major Book Stores
“Preserving Our Italian Heritage Cookbook” ** More than 100 authentic Italian recipes ** Easy-to-follow instructions to everyday meals ** Baking secrets to traditional holiday sweets ** How to plan and save on healthy Italian meals ** Discount on bulk orders of 24 or more books ** Now in its ninth printing!
Price: $18.45, including shipping. To order, send check payable to SONS OF ITALY FLORIDA FOUNDATION, 14 South Jupiter Avenue, Clearwater, FL 33755 - (PH: 727/447-6890) Or contact: vincenzad@verizon.net
“A beautiful book. Through painstaking research and an obvious passion for the subject, he traces . . . the participation of Italians in American sport. A must read for anyone desiring to know the complete story of the evolution of sport in this country.” —David K. Wiggins, author of Glory Bound Cloth $45.00s 978-0-8156-3341-9
Available at www.jdefrancoanddaughters.com or portipasto@epix.net or 610.588.6991
WINTER 2014 35 ITALIAN AMERICA
Author Joseph C. DeFranco Carefully pens an engaging, interesting and highly delightful narrative that depicts his immense love for his family, friends, Italian heritage, and cooking in Growing Up in the Butcher Shop. Shop The book reveals the stories that bring back days gone by and lessons once taught. It Is DeFranco’s own way to keep that old custon alive and give the younger generation an idea about growing up in the 60s in the butcher shop. This volume revolves around the stories of growing up in a family that owned a business and the lessons his immigrant grandparents taught him about love, family, business and community.
Sport of italianand the American Shaping identity
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Syracuse University Press SyracuseUniversityPress.syr.edu
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800-848-6224
REMINDER Order your books through OSIA and Amazon.com. Just go to www.osia. org, click on “Sons of Italy Book Club” and choose either a Book Club selection or another book. Orders are shipped within 24 hours. As a special bonus, Amazon.com will donate a percentage of book sales ordered on our site to OSIA.
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Special Discount on For the Love of Italian Cooking We’re offering Italian America readers an exclusive deal on For the Love of Italian Cooking, the official cookbook of the Sons of Italy, featuring recipes from OSIA members across the country. Showcasing dishes as simple as "Linguine Frutti di Mare" (Linguine with Seafood) and as complex as "Arrancini" (Rice Balls), this cookbook is the place to find those unique recipes that you crave from Italian restaurants or pine for from Grandma's house. Proceeds from the sale of this publication will be used to fund the cultural, educational and charitable programs of the Sons of Italy. Follow the Sons of Italy on Facebook, Twitter, or join our email list to learn about future specials and promotions!
FREE SHIPPING ON ALL ORDERS PLACED BY MIDNIGHT ON FRIDAY, FEBRUARY 28! Every book: $24.95 plus $5.00 FREE shipping & handling Please send me _____ copies for $24.95 each. (Includes FREE S&H; must be shipped to same address.) TOTAL DUE: $_________________ SHIPPING INFORMATION (*required information) Title:____________ First name*:________________________ Last name*:__________________________________ Address*:_______________________________________________________________________________________ Address 2:_______________________________________________________________________________________ City*:______________________________________________ State*:_____________ ZIP*:_____________________ Email:______________________________________________ Phone*:_____________________________________ BILLING INFORMATION (*required information) Billing address is same as the shipping address. My check is enclosed (payable to OSIA Supreme Lodge) Please charge my: Amex / MC / Visa Expiration*:__________ CCV*:_________ Credit card number*:______________________________________________________________________________ Name as it appears on card*:________________________________________________________________________ Billing Address*:__________________________________________________________________________________ Billing Address 2:_________________________________________________________________________________ Billing City*:_________________________________________ State*:_____________ ZIP*:_____________________ Email your order to: nationaloffice@osia.org | fax to: 202.546.8168 | or mail to: OSIA, Attn: Cookbook, 219 E St NE, Washington DC 20002. (Note: In order to receive special discount, email and fax orders must be received by 2/28 at midnight; mail must be postmarked by 2/28; and phone orders will be accepted during normal business hours.) WINTER 2014
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Arte Italiana WINTER 2014
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Valentine for the Holidays The Grand Finale of the Valentine Series
The Supreme Macaroni Company ON SALE NOW
From the Author of The Shoemaker’s Wife
ADRIANA TRIGIANI
www.adrianatrigiani.com
For a signed bookplate, email adrianaasst@aol.com. WINTER 2014
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