Italian America Magazine - Spring 2019

The Centenarians of Sardinia Their Secrets for Longevity

With Love, Juliet

Answering Love Letters at the Juliet Club

The Writer Who Saved the Story The Story Who Saved the Writer

A Mummy Named Spaghetti The Story of Concetto Farmica

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ITALIAN AMERICA

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ITALIAN AMERICA

SPRING 2019

VOL. XXIV No. 2

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 a n d D a u g h t e r s o f I t a l y i n A m e r i c a ®

Features

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A MUMMY NAMED SPAGHETTI The Story of Concetto Farmica

By Dina M. Di Maio

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THE CENTENARIANS OF SARDINIA And Their Secrets for Longevity

By Chuck Pecoraro

WITH LOVE, JULIET

Answering Love Letters at the Juliet Club of Verona

By Julia Stier

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THE WRITER WHO SAVED THE STORY The Story Who Saved the Writer

By Miles Ryan Fisher

ON THE COVER: An old fishing boat sits by the Temo river in Sardinia, Italy. In the background, a 19th-century bridge spans the river and beyond that stands Bosa Cathedral. (EugeniaSt)

D e pa r t m e n t s 11 Bulletin Board

2 High Profile 3 National News 4 Oggi in Italia 5 Pagina Italiana 6 Mangia 7 Regions of Italy

12 Our Story 18 Book Reviews 20 Speakers Bureau 26 OSDIA Nation 31 From the National

32 Foundation Focus 33 CSJ Perspective 34 Letters to the Editor 35 The Last Word 36 Piacere

Italian America is published by the Order Sons and daughters of Italy in America 219 E Street NE • Washington, DC 20002 • Phone: (202) 547-2900 • Web: www.osia.org Editor-in-Chief: Miles Ryan Fisher mfisher@osia.org Writers: Kieran Bhandari; Dina M. Di Maio; Chuck Pecoraro; Julia Stier Translator: Serena Lonigro Proofreaders: Peggy Daino, Marlene Palazzo Graphic Designer: Diane Vincent To advertise: Contact ItalianAmerica@osia.org (202) 547-2900

Italian America Magazine is a publication of the Order Sons and Daughters of Italy in America (OSDIA), the nation’s biggest and oldest organization for people of Italian heritage. To subscribe, see www.osia.org or call (202) 547-2900.

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ITALIAN AMERICA

High Profile

Italian Americans making an impact

A Coal Miner's Son Billy Ciotto Serves the Nation He Loves Billy Ciotto still works five days a week, and, at 89 years old, there’s no sign of quit in him. Perhaps that’s because, as the son of a West Virginia coal miner, it’s in his blood.

His Italian blood.

An only child, Billy was born on Christmas Day in 1929 to Joseph Ciotto and Antoinette Scinto, a pair of Italian immigrants who met in Connecticut. Joseph had emigrated from Ascoli Satriano (Puglia region) in 1910 and started working in West Virginia’s coal mines at just 15 years old. Years later, he moved to Connecticut, where he worked as a custodian at the Hartford State Armory.

Meanwhile, Antoinette had emigrated from Benevento (Campania region) in 1922 and worked in a dress shop.

Joseph and Antoinette raised Billy by stressing what he refers to as The three F’s: Family, Faith, and Friends.

After Billy graduated high school in 1947, he started working the midnight-shift with the Department of Motor Vehicles in Wethersfield, Connecticut. He worked a teletype machine, an electromechanical typewriter that was used to send and receive typed messages. He remained with the DMV for 42 years, working his way up to Deputy Commissioner of Customer Relations. Today, the building where he’d worked all those years now bears his name.

The Biagio “Billy” Ciotto Building.

Following his retirement from the DMV, he spent the next five years volunteering at St. Francis Hospital. Then he received a call from the Democratic Party. Connecticut State Senator (and fellow Italian American) Richard Balducci was vacating his seat in order to run for Lieutenant Governor. The party asked Billy to run. He did, and in 1994 at 65 years old, he won his first election—and then he won the next five. Billy served as Connecticut State Senator for 12 years, and after his sixth term, he was ready to retire for the second time in his life.

Again, he received a call.

This time it was from U.S. Representative John Larson, one of Connecticut’s five Congressmen. He wanted Billy, then 77 years old, to work for him part-time as an Ombudsman for Constituent Services.

“Well,” Billy said to Rep. Larson, “I gotta talk to my wife.”

“Don’t worry,” Rep. Larson said, “I already did.”

“What’d she say?”

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Billy Ciotto loving life and work at U.S. Representative John Larson’s office.

“She said to take you.”

Billy couldn’t help being amused at how Rep. Larson and his wife, Jeanne (née Miller)—both Irish—decided it wasn’t time for him to retire. The decision turned out to be a blessing. “If I didn’t have this job to come to for the past 12 years,” Billy said, “I’d probably be buried in St. Benedict’s Cemetery.”

At 89 years old, Billy is very much thriving. In fact, he was personally invited by Nancy Pelosi to attend her swearing in as the 116th Speaker of the House, a position she had held for consecutive terms from 2007 to 2011.

Pelosi, Billy is quick to point out, was the first—and only—woman to be the Speaker of the House. And, of course, she’s Italian American. “She’s as smart as anyone in Congress,” he said.

This, for Billy, marks a crowning moment of his life story, a story that began in the mines of West Virginia.

“America is great when a coal miner’s son works hard, and this is what happens,” Billy said.

Nothing reflects this sentiment more than when Billy served as State Senator, working in Connecticut’s State Capitol building. There, he would look out his office window at our nation’s flag waving proudly outside the Hartford State Armory, the same place his father had worked as a custodian. He would admire the flag. He would think of his father. And he would envision every dawn when his father walked to that flagpole and raised the flag high.

ITALIAN AMERICA

National News

Italian American issues and events

Sons of Italy Foundation Donates a Second $100,000 in Earthquake Relief In February, the Sons of Italy Foundation presented a second $100,000 donation for Central Italy earthquake relief to the Andrea Bocelli Foundation. Like the first SIF donation made last October, this second donation will go toward the rebuilding of a kindergarten and elementary school in Muccia, a town located in the Marche region of Italy. A total of $200,000 has now been donated by the SIF to the Andrea Bocelli Foundation for this project.

OSDIA Grand Lodge of New York President Robert Ferrito (left) and SIF President Joseph J. DiTrapani (right) present the donation to Maestro Andrea Bocelli.

The presentation took place at The Ritz-Carlton, Central Park in New York City by SIF President Joseph J. DiTrapani and OSDIA Grand Lodge of New York President Robert Ferrito. There to accept the donation was Maestro Andrea Bocelli.

Muccia’s children get a glimpse of the school they will be attending next fall. (Photo Courtesy of Giacomo Moresi)

“The progress that the Andrea Bocelli Foundation is making in completing this school is impressive,” said SIF President DiTrapani. “They broke ground just last September, and already the school is expected to be completed in June. We are looking forward to the day when its doors will be open and the children of Muccia will have a place to learn.”

OSDIA Hires New Chief Operating Officer At the Order Sons and Daughters of Italy in America’s (OSDIA) Plenary Session last February, the hiring of Sons of Italy Foundation (SIF) President Joseph J. DiTrapani as Chief Operating Officer was made official. Mr. DiTrapani, who has been a member of the Per Sempre Lodge #2344 (Lynbrook, NY) for 43 years, served consecutive terms as OSDIA National President from 2009 to 2013. Since 2013, he has served as SIF President, a position he will now vacate.

SIF Trustee Joseph Joseph Sciame with Italy’s Ambassador Armando Varricchio at Sciame has been apthe 28th National Education & Leadership Awards (NELA) Gala. pointed as the new SIF President. Mr. Sciame, SPRING 3 ITALIAN2019 AMERICA

OSDIA COO Joseph DiTrapani with U.S. Representative Tom Suozzi and first female Speaker of the House Nancy Pelosi. Rep. Suozzi is a proud member of Loggia Glen Cove #1016 of New York. who has been a member of the Cellini Lodge #2206 (New Hyde Park, NY) for 51 years, served as OSDIA National President from 2003 to 2005.

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Oggi in Italia

Italy’s news, politics, and culture

Matera Named 2019 European Capital of Culture The European Union (EU) designated the Italian town of Matera, located in the Basilicata region, as the 2019 “European Capital of Culture.” In choosing Matera, the EU is casting light upon one of the oldest inhabited places on Earth, extending back some 9,000 years.

Matera is located about 25 miles from the southern coast and is situated along the eastern border of Basilicata, a region located on the arch of the boot between the toe of Calabria to the west and the heel of Puglia to the east. The town’s utterly striking landscape is known for its homes called sassi (“the stones”) that are carved into a mountain of tufa limestone.

Often referred to as cave dwellings, the sassi were declared unlivable by Italian authorities in the 1950s and became illegal to inhabit. However, in the 1980s, the Italian government began restoring them, enabling their inhabitants to return and tourists to visit. Today, visitors can stay in an albergo diffuso (“diffused hotel”), which are hotels created by combining adjacent cave dwellings and renovating them to provide modern luxuries.

(canadastock)

Matera, which became a UNESCO World Heritage Site in 1993, has been featured in numerous film productions, including The Passion of the Christ, because of its resemblance to ancient Jerusalem. It also served as Wonder Woman’s fictional home in the recent eponymous film.

The “Capital of Culture” program began in 1985 to bring Europeans together by highlighting the richness of European culture. Italian cities chosen in the past include Florence (1986) and Bologna (2000).

Puglia’s Olive Trees Face Devastation Tragedy has struck the beloved olive groves of Puglia. A plant bacteria called Xylella fastidiosa has begun infecting Puglia’s olive trees, causing them to dry up to the point where they no longer produce olives and die of thirst. The bacteria spreads from tree to tree via small

insects called spittlebugs, an insect that is indigenous to the region and is, itself, harmless. The bacteria, which the European Commission says is one of the most dangerous forms of bacteria in the world, has caused past destruction to California vineyards and Brazilian citrus trees. There is currently no remedy, though Italian scientists are working feverishly to find a permanent solution.

The bacteria is believed to have been transported from Central America to Italy about five years ago. It has already infected more than 10 million of the 60 million olive trees in Puglia, including some that are more than one thousand years old. Once a tree has been infected, it is chopped down and its leaves are burned in order to prevent the bacteria from spreading.

Infected olive trees in Salento, Puglia. (Cesare Palma) SPRING 2019

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Xylella fastidiosa threatens to spread through all of Puglia, a region that produces 40 percent of Italy’s olive oil. Italy, which supplies 15 percent of the world’s olive oil—equal to more than $2 billion annually—is the United States’ largest exporter.

ITALIAN AMERICA

Pagina Italiana

Per chi studia la nostra lingua

Liz Giardiello Written by Kieran Bhandari Translated by Serena Lonigro

La rapidità con cui si era creato un legame, mi scioccò.

Ci incontrammo in un condominio, dove lei cercava un appartamento e io cercavo un amico.

Liz era una donna minuta e fragile. La sua pelle scura, come quella di sua nonna che era immigrata dalla Sicilia, si raccoglieva sui gomiti. Non era bella; la sua bocca era pronunciata, i suoi incisivi erano sproporzionati, uno leggermente acavallato all’altro, ma la sua energia mi catturò.

A quell’epoca, uscivo di tanto in tanto con una ragazza di nome Jody, andavamo avanti da un anno ormai e mi ero abituato a lei. La sua affidabilità e disponibilità nei miei riguardi avevano fatto passare in secondo piano la sua pesantezza. Non l’amavo e Liz mi aveva offerto una via di fuga.

L’autunno stava iniziando. Le foglie non avevano ancora cambiato colore, ma un tenue pallore si stava insinuando nell’ambiente. Le mattine e le sere erano inebrianti, l’aria leggera, più secca e frizzante del calore e dell’umidità dell’estate opprimente. Il sole iniziava ad ingentilirsi, i suoi raggi si inclinavano.

Una di quelle sere di autunno, invitai Liz per cena in un raffinato ristorante italiano. Ci diedero un tavolo in un angolo che aveva finestre su entrambi i lati. Molte persone, per lo più di mezza età e anziani, passeggiavano sul marciapiedi, e molte di queste entrarono nel ristorante.

Appartenevano alla parte ben vestita e agiata della città.

che ti fosse accaduto qualcosa.”

“Ero fuori a cena con John Middleton,” dissi.

“Smettila di dire bugie,” disse lei. “Mi ha telefonato alle otto chiedendo di te. Ecco perché ho iniziato a chiamarti.

Dove sei andato davvero?”

Le diedi il nome di un innocuo ristorante italiano.

“Stai mentendo. Con chi ci sei andato?”

“April, dell’ufficio,” dissi.

“Vai a letto con lei?” mi chiese.

“Certo che no.”

“Perchè non ci hai portato me allora?” disse lei. “Le hai offerto tu la cena?”

“No,” le dissi.

“Stai mentendo di nuovo. Nessuno del tuo ufficio può permettersi di andare al Café Milano.”

Avevo troppa paura di chiederle come sapeva che fossi andato a cena al Café Milano. Iniziai a preoccuparmi che Jody mi avrebbe abbandonato e insistetti per porre fine alla conversazione e andare a letto.

Mentre ero disteso a letto quella notte, però, con il mio corpo contro quello di Jody, ripensai alla mia serata con Liz. Mi sentivo attratto da lei, e mi chiesi se fosse possibile averla nella mia vita senza perdere Jody.

Kieran Bhandari has a M.A. degree in Writing from The Johns Hopkins University and an M.A. in Economics. He spent the major part of his career as a World Bank executive and now focuses on writing fiction.

Ricordo quel magico momento come se qualcuno Serena Lonigro was born and raised in Napoli. She gradusenza farsi notare si fosse avvicinato e avesse illuminato i ated from the University of Naples “L’Orientale” with a denostri corpi e i cuori. Bevemmo vino. Mangiammo anti- gree in Foreign Languages and Literatures and now works in pasti, pasta, ed una portata principale di pesce e agnello. marketing and news media.

• Beautiful lakeside locations, transportation Concludemmo la nostra cena con delMinnesota tiramisù.

Leiwithtuffò options available from Madison, Wis. l’indice della mano destra nel tiramisù, lo portò avanti e me lo infilò in bocca. Le leccai il dito, e lei ricominciò.

Learn Italian “Dobbiamo andare,” disse lei. “Mi sto divertendo troppo.”

L’accompagnai a casa e, sulla via di ritorno, diedi on’occhiata al mio cellulare e vidi dieci chiamate perse di Jody.

L’estasi della notte e la sensazione di essere vivo evaporarono.

Jody era seduta sul divano del mio salotto quando entrai. Aveva le chiavi di casa mia.

“Dov’eri?” chiese immediatamente. “Ti ho chiamato e richiamato, ma non hai mai risposto. Mi sono preoccupata

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Plunge into the flavors, style and traditions of the Italian language and culture at Lago del Bosco, our Italian Language Village!

• Culturally authentic Italian food, activities and more • Programs offered for youth ages 7-18 and adults •

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To read the English version, visit www.osia.org and sign in to access the digital copy of Italian America.

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ITALIAN AMERICA SPRING 2019 5

Mangia!

Savory Scallion Pies Ingredients 6 bunches scallions (35 to 40 stalks) ¼ cup (60 ml) extra-virgin olive oil ½ cup (128 g) canned crushed tomatoes or 1 cup (150 g) cherry tomatoes, halved 1 cup (192 g) pitted Gaeta or Kalamata olives ½ cup (120 ml) dry white wine, such as Pinot Grigio or Sauvignon Blanc 5 anchovy fillets, broken up into small pieces (optional) Crust 1/3 cup (80 ml) extra-virgin olive oil, plus more for greasing and brushing 1 cup (240 ml) dry white wine, such as Pinot Grigio or Sauvignon Blanc 1 teaspoon salt 3 1⁄3 cups (400 g) all-purpose or 00 flour, plus more for dusting • To make the filling: Trim the green ends of the scallions.With a paring knife, split the bulbs of the scallions in half. Cut the scallions into 1½-inch (4 cm) pieces. Wash them well under cold water.

• Heat the oil in a small stockpot over medium-high heat.

Add the scallions, tomatoes, olives, and wine. Give the pot a good stir with a wooden spoon. Cover and cook until the scallions are soft, about 15 minutes. Remove from the heat and transfer to a colander with a plate underneath to drain the juice. Set aside until cool. In the meantime, make the dough for the crust.

• To make the crust: Preheat the oven to 400°F (200°C).

Grease a 12-inch-round (30 cm) pizza pan with olive oil.

• In the bowl of a stand mixer fitted with the dough hook attachment, combine the olive oil, wine, and salt, and mix for 30 seconds on low speed. Add the flour and mix until a smooth dough forms, 2 to 3 minutes. Turn out the dough onto a floured surface. Cut the dough in half and roll onehalf into a circle, 14 inches (36 cm) in diameter. Roll the crust around the rolling pin and unfurl it over the prepared pan. Smooth the sides and fit the crust into the corners of the pan, allowing the excess to come up the sides.

• Add the scallion filling to the center of the crust and spread it evenly, leaving a border of about ½ inch (13 mm). Place the pieces of anchovy (if using) over the scallions.

• Roll out the remaining dough into another circle 14 inches (36 cm) in diameter. Place it over the scallions and press the top and bottom crusts together with your fingers. Trim the excess dough from the top.

Press the border of the crust with the tines of a fork to create a seal. Brush the crust with olive oil and dock all over with a fork.

• Bake for 1 hour, or until the crust has colored. Serve warm or at room temperature.

If you liked this recipe, find more in Rosella Rago’s Cooking with Nonna: A Year of Italian Holidays.

Baked Calamari Ingredients 2 pounds (907 g) cleaned calamari, bodies cut into 1½-inch (4 cm) rings and tentacles left whole 1 cup (240 ml) extra-virgin olive oil 2 cups (230 g) plain bread crumbs ¾ cup (75 g) grated Pecorino Romano cheese ¼ cup (15 g) minced fresh parsley 10 cloves garlic, minced ½ teaspoon salt ¼ teaspoon black pepper Lemon wedges, for serving • Preheat the oven to 500°F (250°C).

• Wash the calamari under cold running water and pat dry with a paper towel. Make sure the calamari are as dry as possible.

• Place the olive oil in a small bowl. Set aside.

• In a medium bowl, add the bread crumbs, cheese, parsley, garlic, salt, and pepper. Mix well.

• Dip the calamari in the oil and then in the bread-crumb mixture. Shake off the excess and spread the calamari onto 2 baking sheets. Make sure not to crowd the calamari too much.

• Bake for 15 to 18 minutes, until the calamari are very golden brown and almost charred. Using a metal spatula, scrape and turn the calamari halfway through the baking time. Serve with the lemon wedges.

Follow Italian America magazine’s Facebook page to find out how you can win a copy!

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ITALIAN AMERICA

Regions of Italy

Italy’s Twenty Regions

Lazio

Lazio

All Roads Lead to Rome

Capital: Rome

A mostly flat land, Lazio borders the Tyrrhenian Sea to the west and five regions inland: Tuscany to the north, Umbria, Marche, Abruzzo, and Campania to the south. Of course, as the saying goes, all roads lead to Lazio’s capital, Rome, the largest and most populous city in the country. With three million residents, Rome accounts for more than half of Lazio’s population and serves as Italy’s national capital.

Population: 5.9 million (2nd of the 20 regions)

Established around the 8th century BC, Rome is, as many know, not without mythology. As legend has it, Mars, the God of War and Guardian of soldiers and farmers, had a love affair that resulted in twin sons—Romulus and Remus. The brothers were left to die as babies, but instead were raised by a she-wolf, which has since become the symbol of Rome. Romulus then killed Remus in a dispute and went on to found the city of Rome.

FUN FACT: Approximately $1.7 million is collected annually in the Trevi Fountain, where travelers toss coins in to ensure a return trip. The money goes toward social welfare projects and the maintenance of cultural sites.

Whatever the true story behind Rome’s origins, its legacy is every bit as legendary. It served as the capital of the Roman Empire, the Papal States (until unification in 1861), the Kingdom of Italy, and the Italian Republic after the monarchy was abolished in 1946. A main reason for Rome’s rise in importance is its location where the Tiber River feeds into the center of the Mediterranean Sea. Not only do all roads lead to Rome, but all of Rome’s roads lead to history. With landmarks such as the Colos-

Size: 6,657 square miles (9th of the 20 regions) Provinces: Frosinone, Latina, Rieti, Metropolitan City of Rome, Capital, Viterbo seum, the Pantheon, the Trevi Fountain, and the Spanish Steps, Rome contains so much history that its center is, itself, a UNESCO World Heritage Site. Since the 1st century AD, Rome has also included the seat of the Papacy—Vatican City—where St. Peter’s Basilica, the largest church in the world, sits.

While it’s easy to focus on Rome as the epicenter of the region, Lazio boasts a general history in its own right, especially when it comes to food. The region favors long, thick pasta, such as bucatini, and boasts native dishes, such FUN FACT: Consisting of 174 steps, the Spanish Steps is named after the square below—Piazza di Spagna—which had gained its name because the Spanish Embassy to the Vatican was located close by. as carbonara sauce and arrabbiata (“angry”) sauce. It is also the region where what is perhaps the most famous gelato flavor—stracciatella—was created. The flavor can likely be found at every one of Rome’s 2,800 gelaterias, which means it just may be on every road that leads to Rome.

In 2011, Italy celebrated 150 years of countryhood in high-flying fashion. (Stefano Mura) SPRING 2019 7 ITALIAN AMERICA

ITALIAN AMERICA SPRING 2019 7

T h e

S t o r y

o f

C o n c e tt o

F a r m i c a

By Dina M. Di Maio

Not much is known about Concetto Farmica, including his name. It seems to be misspelled on his grave marker in Hillside Cemetery, which lies just a few blocks from downtown Laurinburg, North Carolina, a small town midway between Wilmington and Charlotte. To get there, one turns down the street of the same name, Hillside Avenue, near the fire station.

It is quiet and peaceful, tree-lined and green. The only noise is that of people working at the crating company just beyond the railroad tracks.

There is a grave not far from those railroad tracks with a marker that bears Farmica’s uncertain name. There are a number of conflicting names on record for him, including Frezzo Connsceppo, Forenzio Concippio, and Giuseppe Camiola. More peculiar than that, and even more peculiar than this Italian name amongst a sea of Anglo-Saxon ones, is the date of burial: September 30, 1972. Peculiar because Farmica died in 1911.

According to Christine Quigley in Modern Mummies: The Preservation of the Human Body in the Twentieth Century, Farmica was a musician working for a traveling carnival at the time of his death. The carnival had stopped in McColl, South Carolina, just a stone’s throw from the North SPRING 2019

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Carolina border—quite close to Laurinburg. In fact, Laurinburg was the largest nearby city. It dates back to 1785 and has a proud history of settlement by Scottish Highlanders.

As the story goes, 23-year-old Farmica got into a fight with another carnival worker. The worker beat him in the head with a tent stake, and Farmica was taken to the closest local hospital, which was in Laurinburg.

There, he died. His remains were taken to McDougald Funeral Home, the local funeral home. Farmica’s father, who worked for another carnival, was notified, but being a carnival worker, he was poor and lacked the resources to take care of his son’s body. Using an interpreter, he arranged embalming services, put down a partial payment, and promised to return with further payment and burial instructions. He never did.

Months later, the funeral home owner received a letter from Farmica’s family in Italy, requesting the body be returned to Italy and that it was not to be buried in a non-Catholic cemetery.

McDougald wrote to the family with the cost of shipping the body to Italy.

He received no response.

In 1939, the Italian government offered McDougald $500 for burial expenses, but he turned it down. A ITALIAN AMERICA

1936 newspaper clipping on “the mummy” stated that he’d received offers to buy the mummy but declined them because Farmica’s body had turned out to be good advertising for the funeral home.

The funeral home kept Farmica’s mummified body hanging in an open box where it could be viewed. Word of this spread and soon the body became a spectacle for the townsfolk to see. For a scare, people would dare each other to go look at the mummy.

Because Farmica was Italian, people started referring to him not by his birth name, but by another name, one that mocked his heritage. They called him “Spaghetti.” For another 30 years, the “Spaghetti mummy” hung in the funeral home, even drawing crowds from out-of-state.

In 1972, upon learning about Farmica’s mummified corpse on

that Farmica be given a proper burial.

Under pressure from Biaggi and local representatives, the funeral home agreed, and enough money was raised to bury Farmica in Laurinburg.

Farmica’s body was placed in a casket and buried under two tons of concrete to ensure that there would be no tampering with it. A local priest performed the Catholic ceremony.

Meanwhile, the current owner of the funeral home, Beacham McDougald, claimed that Biaggi was looking for votes in an election year and that was why “he picked up on this Spaghetti thing as being derogatory to Italians.”

Concetto Farmica’s mummified body when it hung in McDougald Funeral Home.

display in a funeral home, New York Congressman Mario Biaggi took exception to the spectacle. He insisted

Although Farmica was buried, his story didn’t die. It was only ten years ago that a local TV station in Raleigh, North Carolina, WRAL, aired a segment about “Spaghetti” on a show called “The Tar Heel Traveler.”

Farmica’s story was told as if it were a

An early 1940s traveling carnival set up in North Carolina. A show generally consisted of a band concert, movie, and vaudeville act. (Library of Congress) SPRING 2019 9 ITALIAN AMERICA

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serving as a reminder of a past that must not be forgotten. It serves as a symbol that every human life deserves respect and honor, no matter how wealthy they are, what industry they work in, what their religious affiliation is, or what country they come from.

Concetto Farmica’s grave at Hillside Cemetery in Laurinburg, North Carolina.

cute, whimsical tale of local color, as the stories featured on “The Tar Heel Traveler” often are. But to many Italians, this story carries a different meaning.

The story of Farmica’s body is about an immigrant whose body was turned into a local attraction, as if his foreign existence were exotic. Now it rests in Hillside Cemetery, its story

Today, people no longer visit Laurinburg, North Carolina, to get a scare from its main attraction, “Spaghetti the mummy.” Now, they visit Hillside Cemetery to lay flowers at the grave and pay their respects to Concetto Farmica, a man who finally received his proper burial.

A long-time resident of North Carolina, Dina M. Di Maio is a lawyer with an MFA in creative writing from NYU. She is the author of Authentic Italian: The Real Story of Italy’s Food and Its People, published March 2018.

Dina Di Maio

Unfortunately, Farmica’s story is not the only story of prejudice against Italians in North Carolina’s history.

A number of Protestant Italian immigrants from northwestern Italy— known as Waldensians—settled in Valdese, North Carolina, in 1893.

Older generations of Waldensians experienced taunting and prejudice from some of the locals.

According to Jerre Mangione and Ben Morreale in La Storia, their seminal history of Italians in the United States, some Southern states, including North Carolina, enacted legislation in the early 1900s to ensure that only white Anglo-Saxon citizens could live in their states.

In 1906, Italian railroad workers in North Carolina were attacked and murdered in a labor-related incident.

Most of the few Italians, as well as immigrants of other European countries, who were brought to create a farming community in St. Helena, North Carolina, were driven out by local prejudice, despite the success of their farms and their introduction of vegetables like broccoli to the area.

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ITALIAN AMERICA

Bulletin Board

What’s new: discounts, services and events

ATTENTION STUDENTS!

Order Sons and Daughters of Italy in America Student Summit August 1-4, 2019 in Washington, D.C. In an effort to provide young Americans of Italian heritage an opportunity to learn more about their culture, OSDIA is proud to host a Student Summit in our nation’s capital.

The Student Summit Committee has created a program which will offer students a unique opportunity to interact with their peers from the various areas of our great nation. Participants will enjoy a jam-packed weekend exploring their rich Italian culture and heritage (including language and food) and visiting various DC points of interest (such as the Supreme Court and the Pentagon).

Registration is limited to 20 students and will be on a first-come, firstserved basis. It is open to Americans of Italian heritage who range from current high school juniors through current college juniors.

The registration fee is $250 per person and includes hotel, meals, tours, seminars, and summit materials. Travel expenses to the summit and incidentals are the responsibility of the student and/or a sponsoring grand or local lodge.

Please notify your local lodge president or grand lodge office of your intention to be a sponsor as soon as possible.

The registration deadline for students is July 1, 2019.

For more information, e-mail nationaloffice@osia.org

Have a 2019 Festa?

Let Us Know!

Have your 2019 festa listed on www.OSIA.org to let Order Sons & Daughters of Italy in America members and Italian America magazine readers know about it.

And if you’re promoting your lodge at a festa and would like OSDIA brochures and/or back issues of Italian America magazine to give away, please let us know!

Email: NationalOffice@osia.org

SPRING 2019 11 ITALIAN AMERICA

ITALIAN AMERICA SPRING 2019 11

Our Story

Italian American history and culture

Remembering Anzio and Nettuno The Allied Landings that Liberated Rome The January rain poured down on the Sicily-Rome American Military Cemetery in Nettuno, Italy. But that didn’t stop Georgann Maguire and Joan Rottmann—and all others in attendance—from participating in a ceremony that honored the fallen soldiers of the Battle of AnzioNettuno. Georgann and Joan, both members of West Shore Lodge #2651 (Mechanicsburg, Pennsylvania), had traveled to Italy for this day.

It was 75 years ago that the Allies launched Operation Shingle, a plan originally devised by British Prime Minister Winston Churchill. The operation commenced on January 22, 1944, with an amphibious landing at Anzio and Nettuno, two towns situated on the west coast of Italy along the Tyrrhenian Sea about forty miles south of Rome. The objective was to quickly break through the German line and take Rome. But the Battle of Anzio-Nettuno was prolonged, lasting until June 5, 1944, and taking the lives of 7,000 Allied soldiers and leaving 36,000 wounded or missing. The landing did, however, eventually achieve its objective of liberating Rome.

On January 22, 2019—75 years later— the American Battle Monuments Commission hosted a Day of Remembrance to mark the anniversary. The ceremony commenced with a memorial service on the marble veranda in front of the Brothers in Arms statue. During the service, Rear Admiral Matthew Zirkle of the U.S. Navy addressed the crowd, recounting individual stories of heroism and bravery on the shores of Anzio and Nettuno.

Eight thousand candles glow as twilight sets in at the Sicily-Rome American Military Cemetery in Nettuno, Italy.

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The Brothers in Arms statue, where OSDIA’s wreath was proudly placed in honor of all the fallen soldiers. The wreaths were in memory of (L. to R.) WWII Army Rangers, the 504th Parachute Infantry Regiment, and the Cities of Anzio and Nettuno. On the far right is OSDIA’s wreath, placed in memory of all the soldiers who fought.

Italian General Enzo Vecciarelli the Chief of Defense of Italy, followed by honoring those who paid the ultimate sacrifice to eradicate Italy of fascism and recognized the close relationship between the United States and Italy that arose from that. The morning service concluded with Wreaths of Remembrance presented by American and Italian Military personnel as “Taps” was played by the U.S. Naval Forces Europe Band.

Throughout the afternoon, nearly 8,000 candles were placed at the gravesites and the names of every soldier interred or memorialized at the cemetery—11,000 total—were read aloud. These soldiers were casualties not only of Anzio and Nettuno, but also the invasions of Sicily and Salerno. Georgeann and Joan, whose father had fought at Anzio and had fellow soldiers buried in the cemetery, read some of the names.

As sunset approached, the candles placed at the gravesites were lit, and when dusk turned to dark, the candles glowed in the night. Meanwhile, music filled the candle-lit cemetery as an orchestra-accompanied chorus performed songs of tribute to the soldiers resting at SicilyRome American Military Cemetery in the forever grateful town of Nettuno.

ITALIAN AMERICA

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The Sons of Italy Foundation st

Annual National education & Leadership Awards Gala

National Education & Leadership Award

Excellence in Business Award

Humanitarian Award

Vivian Cardia

Bruno Ciacciarelli

The Frank & Angela Donio Family

President Roadtex Transportation

Benefactor & Supporter Italian American Causes Award for Courage & Patriotism

Master of Ceremonies

Lieutenant General (Ret.) Raymond Palumbo

Award-winning Actor

Partner and Co-Founder Venturi Solutions

Joe Mantegna

Frank G. Donio (Posthumously), Angela L. Donio, Fr. Frank S. Donio, S.A.C., John S. Donio & James M. Donio Honorary Chairman

Admiral Edmund P. Giambastiani United States Navy (retired)

A Sicilian-Themed Evening Featuring an Online Auction, Cocktail Hour, Dinner, Music and Dancing, Sicilian Dessert Hour, and the 2019 SIF Scholarship Winners Auction items include My Italian Family Dual-Citizenship Package; gift baskets from Colavita, Sebastian Maniscalco, and Joe Mantegna; autographed items from Tony Bennett and Adriana Trigiani; and many other unique items.

With a Special Performance by Michael Amante SPRING 2019

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Date: Thursday, May 23, 2019

Time: 6 p.m. reception, 7 p.m. dinner, awards, performance Location: Gaylord National Resort & Convention Center, 201 Waterfront Street, Oxon Hill, MD 20745 Black Tie Preferred

Make Reservations Online: www.nelagala.org

ITALIAN AMERICA

By Chuck Pecoraro

It is anchored in the middle of the Mediterranean, between the western coast of Italy and northern tip of Africa. It doesn’t have the historic profile or tourist traffic of mainland Italy but is endowed with rugged charm, multicultural antiquity, tranquility—and some of the oldest people on Earth.

This is Sardinia, a 9,300-squaremile island1 of semi-secluded mountains, meadows, cities, farms, and hamlets. The interior is encircled by a scenic coastline of coves, inlets, ports, fishing villages, and pristine beaches.

(Andrew Balcombe)

and their secrets for longevity

The population of 1.6 million shares the island with millions of sheep, wild ponies, wild hogs, deer, and other animals that graze on lush grasslands enriched with herbs and myrtle. Dotting the landscape are ruins and impressions left behind by Phoenicians, Carthaginians, Nuraghics, and Romans whose civilizations once occupied the land. Each of these cultures contributed to traditions that date back thousands of years. After all, Sardinia didn’t officially became a region of Italy until 1948.

Of all the nationalities that left their footprint on Sardinia, the Spanish were arguably the most influential in terms of gastronomy. During four centuries of rule by the Aragon Dynasty (1300s – 1700s), the Sardinian diet consisted primarily of food and wine reflecting a distinct Spanish influence. Today, its vineyards still grow grapes of Spanish origin, such as Vermentino, Cannonau, Carignano, Torbato, and Malvasia. Sardinia now has 19 DOC and one DOCG zones that help sustain the quality of Italy’s world-class wines.

1

Sardinia is about the size of New Hampshire.

Sardinia’s capital, Cagliara, located on the southern coast. (Stefano Garau) SPRING 2019

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What has all this got to do with the longevity of Sardinia’s inhabitants? For years, research was conducted to ascertain the factors and secrets of why so many Sardinian men and women live longer than the global life expectancy of 71.4 years2. Findings have narrowed the reasons down to genetics, diet, lifestyle, familial bonds, or a combination thereof. Additionally, very few of them smoke tobacco.

Sardinia also has the world’s largest documented percentage of centenarians. As of 2013, at least 371 Sardinians have reached the 100-year mark. The corresponding ratio is 20 times greater than that of the United States. Studies by the University of Sassari in northwest Sardinia found that longevity is most evident in the island’s central-eastern mountainous region. The findings concluded that the rough terrain has repelled invaders over time, resulting in very few intermarriages with outsiders, thus preserving much of the beneficial genetic traits. Doctors and biologists also identified a gene in the Y chromosome of locals that helps reduce heart attacks and strokes.

One rather simple thing that has proven health benefits is walking. National Geographic magazine reported that the increasing presence of motor vehicles has greatly reduced the exercise of walking, leading to obesity and other health issues that once were unfamiliar, but now affect about ten percent of Italy ranks 8th in the world with a life expectancy of 82.8 years; 80.5 for males, and 84.9 for females. The United States ranks 34th in the world with a life expectancy of 78.5 years.

2

The old northern village of Castelsardo with castle and marina. (Ekaterina Pokrovsky) SPRING 2019 15 ITALIAN AMERICA

Eat a Mediterranean Diet Announced as the best diet of 2019 by the US News and World Report, the Mediterranean diet consists of whole grains, vegetables, fruit, nuts, seeds, legumes, potatoes, and seafood. Cooking with extra virgin olive oil is a must. Eat poultry, meats, and cheese in moderation. And always eat fresh rather than processed foods.

Walking A sedentary lifestyle has been proven to have ill health effects. Walking as much as possible like Sardinians (and Italians in general) do, helps you stay fit.

Spend More Time with Family There’s no need to tell Italians this—time spent with your family is paramount to your health!

Social Interaction This may remind you of Rosetto, Pennsylvania, an ItalianAmerican community where life expectancy was abnormally high. Studies determined that the great amount of friendly social interaction in the town was one of the main reasons for this, as it acted as a great stress reliever.

Drink Red Wine That’s right. One glass a day keeps the doctor away, as it lowers blood pressure, cholesterol, and fatigue.

Sardinia’s sheep herders walk at least five miles a day.

(Ekaterina Pokrovsky)

ITALIAN AMERICA SPRING 2019 15

Denominazione di Origine Controllata e Garantita (DOCG) DOCG wines is Italy’s highest wine classification, marking the highest quality the country has to offer. The wines must meet all of the requirements that DOC wines must meet, and also carry strict requirements on vineyard yield, grape types grown within exact boundaries, specific alcohol levels, and minimum aging. There are currently 73 DOCG wines in Italy.

Olive trees of Sardinia supply the island’s olive oil, a necessary ingredient to a long, healthy life. (Massimiliano Donati) the population. In Sardinia, as in many areas of Italy, much of the transportation is done by foot. Of all the walking done on the island, perhaps none is done more than Sardinia’s sheep herders, who walk at least five miles a day.

The amiable Mediterranean climate of ample sunshine, mild temperatures, and fewer pollutants in the atmosphere translates into less stress among the elderly. However, Sardinia has not been able to totally avoid the consequences of climate change that have reached a crisis stage in other parts of the planet. Since tourism is a vital element in the island’s economy, climate disruptions have made an impact of sorts. Damage from beach erosion, rising sea levels, sea surges, and storms are partly responsible for a slight decline of visitors.

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The Perfect Italian Gift!

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Denominazione di Origine Controllata (DOC) DOC wines are produced in government-defined zones and adhere to regulations in order to preserve the wine’s character that is uniquely derived from Italy’s individual regions.There are currently 330 DOC wines in Italy.

Indicazione di Geografica Tipica (IGT) IGT wines are Italian table wines whose grapes come from a specific growing region. Though these are regarded as table wines, some wines assume this category in order to avoid the strict DOC and DOCG regulations, thereby allowing for experimentation.

Vino Da Tavola (VdT) VdT wines are Italian table wines whose only requirement is that they be produced in Italy.

Mario A. Attene, mayor of Silanus, a town of 2,400, including ten centenarians, believes that most elderly Sardinians have the advantage of not being confined to a retirement or nursing home. “They are happy to be alive and accept their advanced age because they receive the care, attention, and affection of their families and loved ones,” he said. Other natives claim it’s all about the clean, crisp mountain air. Or the organically grown vegetables. Or the purity of the groundwater. Or the freshness of the seafood.

While opinions differ, most reports agree that a glass of wine a day keeps the doctor away. Statistics confirm that 93 percent of local males over 100 drink wine regularly, almost twice the average in all of Italy. They sip at least two glasses of vino per day.

Cannonau wine, especially, promotes longevity because it has a high level of polyphenols, an antioxidant that acts as a defense against cardiovascular disease. It also is rich in anthocyanin that produces antioxidants. The robust red is high in alcohol, low in acidity and fortified with scents of red berries, plum, and tobacco. Researchers found that a compound in red wine—called resveratrol—not only ITALIAN AMERICA

slows aging, but helps reduce blood pressure, cholesterol, and fatigue. Some other Sardinian reds of note include Carignano, Malvasia, and Terre Brune.

It’s not hard to speculate that the main reason Sardinia averages 22 centenarians per 100,000 population—compared to 8 to 10 in other countries—is diet. Among all Italian regions, Sardinia makes one of the most profound gastronomic statements, due mostly to geography, separation from the mainland, and attachment to history and tradition.

For the first 40-50 years of their lives, centenarians generally eat food similar to what is referred to as the Mediterranean diet. This diet includes whole grains, vegetables, fruit, nuts, seeds, legumes, potatoes, seafood, and, of course, extra virgin olive oil. Herbs and spices replace salt. Poultry, eggs, cheese, and yogurt are consumed in moderation. Sugar-treated beverages, processed meat, and other processed food are avoided.

But no matter the many reasons proffered, scientists remain bewildered as to precisely why and how so many Sardinians live to 100 and beyond. While it may be impossible to determine the exact combination of diet, genetics, activity, lifestyle, and environment that create Sardinia’s magical elixir for longevity, one thing is clear: we can all raise a glass of red wine and say salute.

Chuck Pecoraro (chuckpecoraro@sbcglobal.net) has written over 1,500 articles on food, wine, and travel for the Chicago Sun-Times and other prominent publications and websites.`

Seafood Fregola -Pasta made with semolina flour, rolled into little balls and cooked with breadcrumbs, clams, and prawns in a saffron broth.

Zuppa Gallurese -- (Alessio Orru) Originating from Gallura in the northern sector, this actually is a liquid version of lasagna. It is oven baked with bread, cheese, and lamb broth.

Porcheddu -- One of Sardinia’s most popular dishes, this is whole suckling pig roasted with myrtle leaves and served on a cork platter.

Spaghetti with Sea Urchin -- Appeals mostly to folks who relish raw seafood. A mainstay between November and April, the open season for sea urchin.

Cannonau matches nicely with the intense taste of (pieropoma) these spiny creatures.

Bottarga -- This dried mullet roe originates from Cabras on the west coast. It is usually served in thin slices as an appetizer, or blended with pasta.

Culurgiones -- A dumpling stuffed with mint-flavored potato cream, and accented with fresh tomato sauce, butter, basil and sage.

Oc to p u s S a l ad - (Alessio Orru) A starter of mollusks smaller and more delicate than regular octopus. Usually accompanied with boiled potatoes and celery dressed with garlic, parsley, olive oil, and a squeeze of lemon.

Lamb With Artichokes -- A favorite during the Easter season. The meat is stewed, then embellished with artichoke hearts. A perfect partner is light, floral Vernaccia white wine.

EXPERT ITALIAN VACATION PLANNING, CUSTOMIZED FOR YOU. myitaliandestination.com

SPRING 2019 17 ITALIAN AMERICA

Catalan Style Lobster -- Gathered from waters off the west coast, the lobster is boiled, chopped and served as a salad with tomatoes and onions.

Seadas -- A traditional dessert of fried pastry dough packed with lemon-scented Pecorino cheese and intensified with orange blossom or wildflower honey.

ITALIAN SPRINGAMERICA 2019 17

Book Reviews

SPRING 2019 selections

LA PASSIONE: How Italy Seduced the World

By Dianne Hales

It wasn’t until an unexpected trip to Italy that author Dianne Hales was put on the path to becoming one of the world’s most committed Italophiles. Author of La Bella Lingua and Mona Lisa, Hales proves in Le Passione just why her past books led to her to be knighted by Italy.

Written with great gusto, Le Passione extols the passion Italians have always had for life. Whether it’s a love for food or wine, art or opera, film or fashion, literature or Lamborghinis, Hales packs every passion into her book. She discusses the history behind these passions and also brings us with her on her tours, whether that involves visiting the Ferrari museum in Modena or Venetian glass furnaces in Murano. During these expeditions, Hales proves the truth in Luigi Barzini, Jr.’s words that “in the heart of every man, wherever he is born, whatever his education and tastes, there is one small corner which is Italian.”

DID YOU KNOW? When Julius Caeser was stabbed to death on the Ides of March and looked to Brute, he is misquoted as having asked “E tu, Brute?” when he actually cried “You too, child!”

Le Passione will take you into the corners of the great civilizations that dominated the boot, lead you through the rise of the Church, and place you upon the greatness of the Renaissance period. While reading, keep a particular eye out for the lives of Artemisia Gentileschi and Maria Antoinetta Avanzo along with the impassioned story of Elio and why he chopped down all of his father’s fruit trees.

While we would all love to travel through Italy as extensively as Hales has, few will be so fortunate. For the rest of us, La Passione is the closest we will get to the sensations of a journey through the regions of Italy.

L’AMERICA

By Joseph M. Orazi Set in 1915, Joseph M. Orazi’s L’America brings to life the journey Italian immigrants made crossing the Atlantic in search of a better life in America. The novel follows three individuals: Giuseppe Mosca of Calabria, Aldo Grimaldi of Naples, and Paolo LaChimia of Sicily. At the beginning, chapters alternate among the three characters, highlighting their respective lives in Italy and the different reasons—poverty, favoritism, crime—that compel them to leave their homeland.

Much of this novel evokes empathy for those who suffered and struggled to surmount the poor circumstances into which they were born. Perhaps the most poignant part of the story focuses on the voyage across the Atlantic, particularly for those traveling in steerage as most immigrants did. Orazi makes you feel the filth and smell the stench of those conditions. One character questions how something so terrible (steerage) can exist in something so beautiful (the ship). This section highlights the extreme inequities between those who traveled in first class, second class, and steerage.

Another part of the book equally as evocative is the landing in New York City and having to pass through Ellis Island. Orazi takes you through the terror that immigrants experienced when being examined without knowing what they were being examined for (and especially their encounter with the “button-hook” men).

As you follow Giuseppe, Aldo, and Paolo on their journey to America and their struggle to survive in the new country, you will feel another struggle they faced—their unrest at having left their homeland. As they wrestle with the question of whether Italy abandoned them or they abandoned Italy, one thing remains clear: Italy stays in the blood.

Readers will agree.

DID YOU KNOW? “Rag n’ Bone” men were those who scavenged for unwanted items (such as rags, bones, metals, glass) and then tried to sell them to merchants.

Visit www.osia.org to find a selection of recent books written by OSDIA members!

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ITALIAN AMERICA

On The Bookshelf Books by and about Italian Americans

In The Love & Loyalty Book, Fall In Love With The Italian Mother Who Did It All

By Josephine B. Pasquarello, A Philadelphia-area author

The “Hopping to America” Series

A Rabbit’s Tale of a Wedding

By Diana Pishner Walker with Illustrator Ashley Teets

Email: dlwalker003@hotmail.com Website: dianapishnerwalker.com Price: $16.95 (hardback cover) A Rabbit’s Tale of a Wedding is the third in the “Hopping to America” series and can be ordered at Amazon. com or Headlinebooks.com or if personalized contact me directly through email.

Published by Headline Books

A dark and dangerous family secret is no deterrent to a mother with determination, courage, compassion, and a strong sense of right and wrong.

• •

• •

Learn her secrets for survival for herself and her 12 children after her husband’s demise

Build your own rich legacy of caring for family by following her example of spending time around the table with good food and those you hold dear Apply the nuggets of wisdom throughout this family saga

Discover what the family’s dark secret really was

This book make a great gift!

Available at amazon.com & dorrancebookstore.com Schedule a presentation: josephinebpasquarello@gmail.com

SPRING 2019 19 ITALIAN AMERICA

ITALIAN AMERICA SPRING 2019 19

Speakers Bureau

learn more about your culture & history

Sons & Daughters of Italy Speakers Bureau Need a speaker for your club meeting or a special event? Contact these experts directly. Some may require travel expenses and/or honorariums. For more speakers see: www.osia.org at “Culture & History.” To apply as a speaker, contact Miles Fisher at mfisher@osia.org • C A L I F O R N I A Author and Filmmaker Caroline Cocciardi speaks on Leonardo da Vinci and her recently published book, Leonardo’s Knots. The book is based on a 20-year da Vinci research project she conducted, in which she detected a minute, interlocking embroidered knot pattern on Mona Lisa’s dress that deviated from the decorative embroidery of the day. “The Mona Lisa Knot” was a mathematical pattern based on angular crossing patterns, which tells the story of the messages in Leonardo’s knots. Book signing. Contact: (408) 666-4050 Email: monalisaknot@hotmail.com Website: www.leonardosknots.com Will also travel to: Anywhere in the United States • maryland Author and Professor Albert F. Marra speaks on dual Italian-U.S. citizenship, Italian and Italian-American history and culture, the treatment of Italian immigrants in the United States, and the differences between northern and southern Italians. With a master’s degree in romance languages and a doctorate in bilingual education, he worked as an Official U.S. Government (U.S. Coast Guard) interpreter/translator (English-Spanish/Italian). He received the Special Achievement Medal related to the sinking of the Costa Concordia in Italy in 2012. Recently, he published Southampton Summers: Stories of Three Italian Families, Their Beach Houses, and the Five Generations that Enjoyed Them. Book signing. Contact: (703) 3289233 Email: albertusmagnus2@yahoo.com Will also travel to: Mid-Atlantic from New York to Virginia • NEW JERSEY Author Joseph L. Orazi speaks on Italian immigration and assimilation and the events leading up to and through WWII. He recently published L’America, a historical fiction novel that follows the lives of three Italian emigrants who make their way to America in 1915 and follows them until 1927. He is currently working on the novel’s sequel.

In 2004, he released his documentary—“Prisoners SPRING 2019

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Among Us” —about Italian immigration and assimilation and the largely unknown events leading up to WWII. It received the Grand Jury Prize for Best Documentary at the New York Independent Film Festival and Best Documentary at the Montreal Italian Film Festival. Lectures and book signing. Contact: (609) 805-1107 Email: josephorazi@gmail.com Website: www.lamericabook.com Will also travel to: Anywhere in the United States • NEW YORK Author Deborah Burns speaks on her memoir—Saturday’s Child—which is about emerging from the shadow of her larger-than-life, unconventional Italian mother. The story’s backdrop is the Canzoneri Country Club in Upstate New York. The club was founded by her uncle, Tony Canzoneri, the Lightweight Boxing Champion of the World.

In addition to focusing on the mother-daughter relationship, she also highlights the lost era of this hotel and the Italian-American experience of the characters. Book signing. Contact: 917-405-3391 Email: db@deborahburnsauthor.com Will also travel to: Northeast and anywhere in the United States (if costs covered) • NEW YORK Author and Professor Anthony Cotto speaks about writing fiction and non-fiction about Italy and the Italian-American experience.

He recently published Cucina Tipica: An Italian Adventure, a fictional story about a disheartened American who arrives in Italy on holiday and decides he never wants to leave. Book signing and cooking demonstration. Contact: (718) 915-1044 Email: andrewcottowriter@gmail.com Website: www.andrewcotto.com Will also travel to: East Coast from Massachusetts to Maryland (with an emphasis on the Tri-State area) ITALIAN AMERICA

Order Sons and Daughters of Italy in America ® Online Business Directory Advertise on www.osia.org today!

Gold

Silver

Bronze

$500 Billed Annually

$250 Billed Annually

$250 Billed Annually

Included in a gold listing: - Business name - Business email address (hyperlinked) - Business address (hyperlinked to map) - Business website (hyperlinked) - Business phone number - Business logo - Short description (100 words or less) of business - Member name associated with business - Listing in chosen category

Included in a silver listing: - Business name - Business email address (hyperlinked) - Business phone number - Member name associated with business - Listing in chosen category

Included in a bronze listing: - Business name - Business phone number - Member name associated with business - Listing in chosen category

Business Directory Categories • • • • • • • • •

Advertising & Media Media & Communications Agriculture, Fishing & Forestry Arts, Culture & Entertainment Automotive & Marine Business & Professional Services Computers & Telecommunications Construction Equipment & Contractors Family, Community & Civic Organizations

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• Professional Services - Accounting - Law - Medical - Engineering - Expert • Real Estate, Moving & Storage • Restaurants, Food & Beverages • Shopping & Specialty Retail • Sports & Recreation

Call the OSDIA National Office at (202) 547-2900 or visit www.osia.org/business-directory SPRING 2019 21 ITALIAN AMERICA ITALIAN AMERICA SPRING 2019 21 for more information about how you can advertise your business online

By Julia Stier

“And these are just the ones written in English,” the young American ex-pat said, plopping down a box bursting with letters. I picked up one of the hundreds of notes addressed to Juliet Capulet. The young woman handed me some stationery and a pen, and grinned. “Well, let’s get started!”

My fellow letter writer was a volunteer at The Juliet Club of Verona, where she served as one of “Juliet’s Secretaries.” Located in Verona, Italy—the setting of William Shakespeare’s famous tragedy, Romeo and Juliet—The Juliet Club of Verona receives approximately 50,000 letters every year from all over the world. The letters contain stories of love and loss, and their lovelorn writers seek advice from the young, fictional heroine, Juliet Capulet.

“Juliet’s Secretaries” respond to these letters on her behalf.

I had only learned of the club’s existence a few hours earlier while visiting La Casa di Giulietta (Juliet’s House).

It is said that the Cappelletti family, who may have been the inspiration for Shakespeare’s Capulet family, owned the house. Outside La Casa di Giulietta, people crowded in the courtyard to take pictures with the golden Juliet statue and rub her right breast for good luck (it’s weird, but it’s tradition). Inside, there is a display containing the costumes for Romeo and Juliet, as well as their marriage bed, from the 1968 Franco Zeffirelli film.

I confess that I am a bit Juliet-obsessed. I had been cast as Juliet only the semester before in a theatre production at the University of Southern California. That experience inspired me to visit Verona and see the sites associated with my favorite star-crossed lovers. The main pull for me of La Casa di Giulietta was the opportunity to step out onto the “real” Juliet’s Balcony. While on it, I couldn’t resist reciting my own “Oh Romeo, Romeo, wherefore art thou Romeo?”

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Most intriguing, though, was the discovery of a little red mailbox. A sign above it read, “Juliet lives here! Write to her!” A notice on a nearby computer (available for those who wished to contact “Juliet” via email) explained that an organization, The Juliet Club of Verona, strives to keep the myth of Romeo and Juliet alive by inviting individuals from around the world to send their messages of the heart.

The notice went on to explain: A young group of volunteers, ‘Juliet’s Secretaries,’ devote their time to this extraordinary phenomenon. Thousands of unsolicited letters arrive each year, addressed to the Shakespearean heroine. These messages are translated, read, and saved, and every single one is answered.

My friend and travel companion, Carina, and I quickly wrote a letter and dropped it in the red box.

Dear Juliet, Help us find our Romeos (but without the bloody ending!)

Rest in Peace.

Love,

Julia and Carina ITALIAN AMERICA

of San Francesco al Corso, which you can still visit today.

There, he noticed that people were leaving handwritten notes at the tragic heroine’s grave. Moved by this trend, Solimani began replying to the letters on behalf of the mythical character.

Continuing Solimani’s work, the official Juliet Club of Verona was started by Giulio Tamassia in 1972. Today, the non-profit cultural organization is managed by his daughter, Giovanna Tamassia. To keep Juliet’s legacy alive, in addition to answering letters, the club also organizes a celebration for “Juliet’s Birthday” and gives the “Writing for Love” (Scrivere per amore) award to the best romantic novels published in Italy.

The author on Juliet’s Balcony at La Casa di Giulietta.

After learning that this Club existed, I knew I had to track it down. Carina and I were exploring the winding streets of Verona, when she suddenly stopped me.

“Look!” she gasped, pointing. Tucked away at the end of a little side street, The Juliet Club of Verona glowed, warm and inviting. I threw open the doors and rushed in, surprised to be greeted by… an American! She explained how she had decided to make Verona her home for the next three months in order to be a part of the Club’s unique phenomenon. I was captivated. What a romantic life! The woman could clearly read the excitement on my face, and asked with a grin, “Would you like to serve as one of Juliet’s Secretaries?”

In the letters I drew from the box, I read stories of hope and heartbreak. One woman asked me to wish her luck in maintaining a long-distance relationship. Another asked for help finding love after the death of her beloved husband.

The most endearing missive was an inquisitive one, which asked if I had been nervous about my parents finding out about Romeo and how I felt the night he came to my balcony (she apologized for being so forward). Luckily, I had explored those very emotions when I portrayed Juliet onstage, and drawing from those memories, I confessed to her that yes, I was terrified that my parents might learn

“YES!” I shouted and eagerly dove into the pile of letters.

I would later learn that The Club’s unique tradition dates back to 1930, with Ettore Solimani, the very first of “Juliet’s Secretaries.” Solimani was the guardian of Juliet’s Tomb, a red marble sarcophagus that sits in the monastery

The letter that the author and her friend wrote to Juliet.

Juliet’s little red mailbox at La Casa di Giulietta.

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“Juliet’s Secretaries” hard at work. (Photo courtesy of The Juliet Club of Verona)

of my love for Romeo. They hated the Montagues, but I knew we were destined to be!

I signed each letter proudly: With Love, Juliet Carina and I spent the afternoon writing and reading and soaking it all in. We were given letters in English and responded likewise. The letters gave me another chance to see the world through Juliet’s eyes—to see love and optimism. To believe in its power. In responding to these heartfelt messages, I sometimes struggled to find the right

Posta di Giulietta written in many languages, including in English, Spanish, French, Russian, and Portugese. (Photo courtesy of The Juliet Club of Verona)

words. The letters contained the very real stories of real people, and some were deeply personal. I wanted to honor them, to let them know that their story had been seen and understood, and to do my best to give them a shred of hope or encouragement in my response. It wasn’t always easy, but it was extremely rewarding.

You can experience some of the magic of the Juliet Club at home by reading letters online. Every year on Valentine’s Day, the Club awards a select few with the “Dear Juliet” award. This award is given to the writers of the most beautiful letters received in the past year. The winners are honored in a ceremony at Juliet’s House, and their letters are then published on the Club’s website.

I am currently awaiting my own response from Juliet regarding a matter of the heart. You can write to her, too, and send it here: JULIET CLUB Corso Santa Anastasia 29, 37121 Verona – Italy As you await your reply, know that someone in far-off Verona is invoking the spirit of Juliet as she strives to answer your letter with goodwill, wisdom, and heart.

A proud Italian-American, Julia Stier is an LA-based actress, playwright, and songwriter. When she’s not in rehearsal, she loves to travel and write about her experiences.

Learn more at www.juliastier.com

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ITALIAN AMERICA

“Happiness is a butterfly, which when pursued, is always just beyond your grasp but which, if you sit down quietly, may alight upon you.” ~ Nathaniel Hawthorne

Linda Simanella Keener, like a butterfly, took flight from this earth on March 7, 2014, after a bone marrow transplant that went badly. She was the daughter of a Sicilian father, Giovanni Vincenzo Simanella Sr., and a German mother Martha Kaczinski Simanella, of Springfield, Illinois, and favored her father's Italian side of the family. Linda loved to laugh and was a person of charm, style and taste, and had the common touch too. In the lyrics of Harry Connick Jr., “If we should lose each other/Somewhere inside the dark/Promise me you’ll remember/How good we are.”

We miss her presence every day. We'll remember. ITALIAN SPRING 2019 25 AMERICA ITALIAN AMERICA SPRING 2019 25

By Ronald Keener (ronaldekeener@hotmail.com)

OSDIA Nation

OSDIA LODGES AT WORK

new york When the Primavera Italian Language Program was in danger of closing last fall, the Uguaglianza Northeast Bronx Lodge #83 stepped in to save it. The program, which offers 35-40 children lessons in Italian language and culture, lost its funding when the two public officials who supported the program lost their primary elections.

Upon learning that the 40-year old program, which was started by former Lodge President and late-Senator Guy Velella, would have to shut its doors, Lodge #83 was determined to keep them open—donating $5,200 in order to do so. Many individual lodge

members added to that total from their personal accounts.

Now, dozens of bambini will be able to learn about and enjoy their Italian culture, its traditions, and its beautiful language.

The Uguaglianza Northeast Bronx Lodge #83 presents the Primavera Italian Language Program with their donation. (Photo Courtesy of The Bronx Times)

rhode island The Forum Lodge #391 of Newport traces its roots back to July 4, 1915, when a group of Italian immigrants formed La Loggia Progresso e Civilità #391. Two decades later, in 1939, the women of the lodge created a sister lodge called La Loggia Santa Caterina da Siena. While these lodges flourished, another Italian-American civic organization called The Forum was formed by many of the offspring of La Loggia Progresso e Civilità. In 1976, these groups merged to become The Forum Lodge #391.

That year, the lodge purchased a

The Forum Lodge’s banner that now proudly reads “Order Sons & Daughters of Italy”.

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arizona In heart-warming (and creative!) fashion, members of Scottsdale Lodge #2335 collected more than 120 pairs of children’s socks and made a Christmas sock tree out of them. They brought the tree to two early childhood special education classes, where students chose their socks.

In addition to this, lodge members also adopted a family through The Society of St. Vincent de Paul, a nonprofit organization based in Phoenix whose mission is to feed, clothe, house, and heal individuals and families in our community who have nowhere else to turn for help.

The members purchased, wrapped, and delivered Christmas presents to the adopted family.

banner, one that has survived several decades—never having even been cleaned because its letters were ironed on. When the Order Sons of Italy in America became the Order Sons & Daughters of Italy in America, it was time for the 41-year-old banner to retire. The only problem was, the lodge was unable to find a company who could make a new banner with the same fabric quality as the original.

Lodge members took matters into their own hands—literally—and carefully peeled off the middle line of the banner before sewing down all the remaining letters and stitching the flag designs securely. They had the banner dry-cleaned, and then, with a set of new letters similar in color and font, they had a local vendor professionally place the new letters on the banner.

The Forum Lodge’s banner—now 43 years old—reads Order Sons & Daughters of Italy.

The colorful Christmas sock tree pays a special education class a visit.

Which socks would you choose?

ITALIAN AMERICA

MAKING A DIFFERENCE

florida Last February, the Osceola County Lodge #2523 of Kissimmee hosted their inaugural Cinderella’s Closet Gala Luncheon at the Kissimmee Bay Golf and Country Club. Prior to the event, one hundred gently used gowns had been donated by friends and family members of the lodge. Sixty of these were modeled by volunteers and auctioned at the luncheon. Through the auction, the

lodge raised more than $3,000 that will go toward scholarship awards for Osceola County High School seniors.

All the gowns—including those auctioned—will be given to local high school girls who are unable to purchase a prom dress. By spreading the beauty, the lodge will enable many girls to attend the prom in elegance and make some magical memories.

COLORado The Southern Colorado Lodge #2738 of Pueblo hosted its annual Scholarship and Citizen of the Year Awards Gala at Sangre de Cristo Arts and Conference Center Ballroom last March. They did so in true style with likenesses of Frank Sinatra, Dean Martin, and Sammy Davis, Jr., performing “The Rat Pack Tribute Show” for all in attendance.

During the scholarship portion of the program, the Southern Colorado Lodge presented 21 young men and women with more than $26,000 in scholarships. Over the past 20 years, the lodge—which was founded in 1999—has provided more than $370,000 in scholarships to students of Italian descent.

The gala also honored Henry Norman Williams, whose grandparents emigrated from Italy, as the lodge’s Italian Citizen of the Year. “It feels great to be Italian,” Williams said.

“There’s 45 of us every year for Christmas Eve, and we have a great get-together.”

Dean, Sammy, and Frank entertain the crowd during “The Rat Pack Tribute Show.”

Le belle donne model the gorgeous prom gowns at the Cinderella’s Closet Gala Luncheon.

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Have you or your lodge done something remarkable that makes a difference to your community or promotes our heritage and Italian studies? If so, send details including your lodge’s name/number, a brief write-up, and digital photos of 300 dpi to Editor Miles Fisher at mfisher@osia.org

ITALIAN AMERICA SPRING 2019 27

The Writer Who Saved the Story The Story Who Saved the Writer

By Miles Ryan Fisher

It was a snowy night in Bozeman, Montana. The light was low, visibility difficult on the road. As Mark Sullivan drove, thoughts tortured him.

Thoughts of his brother who had died from drinking. Thoughts of his mother who had suffered brain damage from drinking. Thoughts of his meager earnings and the novels he wrote that nobody read. Thoughts of a business that had taken him to the point of personal bankruptcy.

Sullivan then thought of his family—his wife and two sons—and realized that with his life insurance policies, he was worth more to them dead than alive. He considered how much better off they would be if he drove his car straight into a bridge abutment on the interstate freeway. After all, on a slick, snowy evening, nobody would quesSPRING 2019

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tion whether or not such a tragedy was accidental. Sullivan pulled into a parking lot at Costco, put his head on the steering wheel, and begged the universe for a story.

dinner party, one that he initially refused to go to until his wife, who was sick with the stomach flu, insisted. Just stay for an hour, she told him. Then excuse yourself and come home.

That night, Sullivan attended a

Sullivan arrived at the dinner party and sat down at the table.

Across from him sat a man who began relating snippets of a far-fetched story. The one that Sullivan had been praying for.

Mark and Pino at Isola Bella in Lake Maggiore 2017. (Elizabeth Sullivan)

The tale involved a young Italian boy, just 17 years old.

His name was Pino Lella, and World War II had reached his doorstep in Milan in the summer of 1943. The bits that Sullivan heard that night— bits that involved escape routes and espionage—were, he felt, implausible. A young Italian boy who risked his life to lead Jews through the Alps on a secret passage to Switzerland?

Who served as a special assistant to a ITALIAN AMERICA

Nazi general in order to spy on important documents and report them to the partisans? Who was surrounded by bloodshed and survived? Sullivan couldn’t believe it to be true. But he was certain of one thing: he had to find out.

So he called Pino Lella, then 79 years old and living in Lesa, a small town on Lake Maggiore north of Milan. At first, Pino wasn’t forthcoming about what he’d experienced. Many of his memories had lain dormant for decades, the nightmarish ones suppressed. The pieces that he offered Sullivan, however, convinced Sullivan this was a story worth crossing the Atlantic to hear more about firsthand.

Six weeks after first hearing of Pino’s story, Sullivan was meeting him in Lesa. He began to learn more of Pino’s story, a moving and often times deeply emotional account. Sullivan worked to draw memories out of Pino—memories that had been nearly erased. In the process of drawing out the painful parts of Pino’s story, Sullivan “marveled at his ability to go on after being so depressed and traumatized.” It was in this that Sullivan felt an impact personally.

Passage from Beneath the Scarlet Sky: “For many hours on that hill that day there was little sound save that of spring birds and insects, and a warm breeze carried the scent of fields under plow. It all made Pino realize that the earth

Mark and Pino in April 2006, when they first met.

did not know war, that nature

could be easily corroborated. But now Sullivan had something to live for—a purpose greater than his own, and that was to bring Pino Lella’s extraordinary experience to the world.

would go on no matter what horror one man might inflict on another.

Nature didn’t care a bit about men and their need to kill and conquer.”

“It made me realize how much I’d put in jeopardy even thinking about suicide,” Sullivan said. “I had a great, loving wife and two remarkable sons.”

After speaking with Pino on the trip, which lasted three weeks, Sullivan was transformed. “Leaving Italy that first time, I felt blessed to be alive,” he said. “I went home a different person, grateful for every moment, no matter how flawed, and determined to honor and tell Pino’s story to as many people as possible.”

The novel, however, was years away from coming to fruition. After all, this wasn’t a simple story, one that SPRING 2019 29 ITALIAN AMERICA

Pino with Tom Holland, the actor who will be playing him in the miniseries based on Beneath the Scarlet Sky.

In the years that followed, Sullivan made several more trips to Europe.

Two were to Italy, where Pino guided him to the most poignant places in his story. Casa Alpina, where he’d taken Jews along escape routes to Switzerland. Castello Sforzesco, where the greatest tragedy of his life had unfolded at the hands of the Italian Partisans. Piazzale Loreto, where Mussolini’s body hung upside down from a meat hook.

Sullivan put his journalistic experience to work, attempting to corroborate Pino’s events through extensive research. He traveled to Germany three separate times to visit the Nazi War Archives (in Berlin and Friedrichsburg). He also traveled to the National Archives in College Park, Maryland. He researched primary documents, consulted with established historians, and interviewed witnesses. Time and again, however, he encountered impossible obstacles that prevented his access to information. Documents had been burned at the tail end of the war, and witnesses had grown old and since perished.

ITALIAN AMERICA SPRING 2019 29

In addition to that, Italy was plagued by what Sullivan referred to as a “collective amnesia,” whereby Italians who endured World War II wanted to erase the traumatic experience from their memory. One partisan, now much older, articulated this to Sullivan.

Did You Know?

The lights of the Milan Cathedral were kept on through nights of bombing in order to prevent its destruction.

“No one talks about the war in Italy,” the old partisan told him. “So no one remembers.” It was this, a reluctance to speak about the war, that made Italy the “Forgotten Front.”

Sullivan realized that it wasn’t just Pino’s story he had to preserve, it was the story of Italy itself.

As a result of these roadblocks, Sullivan switched gears. He decided it would be more prudent to write the story not as nonfiction or memoir, but

as fiction. A novel, he thought, would give him the ability to bring scenes to life in a way that would tap into the emotions of readers.

Eleven years after first meeting Pino in Lesa, Italy, Sullivan completed a novel that did just that. He titled it Beneath the Scarlet Sky. And perhaps as remarkable as the story that unwinds within its pages is that Pino lived to see the completion of it. He was 90 years old when it was published.

In publishing Beneath the Scarlet Sky, Sullivan saved a story that was destined to disappear. Since its release two years ago, the novel has sold 1.5 million copies, been translated into 34 languages, and is currently being made into a mini-series. Behind all of this, however, lies another story.

A story about a down-and-out writer who needed a reason to live. A story about that writer finding his purpose in an unknown tale that needed to be told.

Celebrate the Rebirth of Spring

A stor y about how—60 years after guiding others to safety—Pino Lella had one more life to save. “ The thing that means the most to me are the letters I get from people who are profoundly depressed— many of them suicidal—when they pick up the book and it changes their life.”

Mark Sullivan

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Miles Ryan Fisher (mfisher@osia.org) is the Editor-in-Chief of Italian America magazine.

A Peek into Beneath the Scarlet Sky

Author Mark Sullivan brings us into the life of Pino Lella, a 17-yearold who is forced to mature quickly once bombs begin falling on Milan, his hometown, in the summer of 1943. What Pino doesn’t realize, however, is what the next two years of Germany’s occupation of Italy will demand of him. He’ll work with Catholic priests to guide Jews to sanctuary. He’ll don a Nazi uniform in order to engage in espionage. He’ll face Italian partisans, some of whom are his dear friends, without being able to tell them the true reason for his work. He’ll witness atrocities.

He’ll confront death. He’ll fall in love.

With vivid portrayal, Sullivan captures the turmoil of these two years that reads cinematically.

Through Pino’s lens, Beneath the Scarlet Sky illuminates the devastation that Italians faced after Italy’s surrender, a time when they were being occupied by Germany and bombed by the Allies. While Pino experiences horrific moments and endures personal tragedies, while he is the novel’s “hero,” he serves as a symbol, a representative of the many Italians who experienced and endured the same.

ITALIAN AMERICA

From the National

WHAT NATIONAL DOES FOR YOU

From the President’s Desk

By Vera Ferrara Girolami

We have just had a very successful and informative Plenary Session in ‘sunny San Diego.’ Well, it was sunny the first day! After that, it was cold, windy, and rainy. The temperature hovered around the 60’s the entire time. I apologized, but our brothers and sisters from the East Coast and Midwest and even the Northwest were happy to be out of the snow for a while!

Important items discussed included the ongoing Columbus issue, the new Online Business Directory, the upcoming NELA Gala on May 23, and the Student Summit on August 1-4. The Membership Commission held a very informative breakout session. Everyone participated, and several new ideas emerged. You will be receiving more information regarding these issues very soon.

I am very happy to report that the Order Sons & Daughters of Italy in America now has a new Chief Operating Officer! Our very own National Past President and Sons of Italy Foundation President, Joseph DiTrapani, has accepted this position. We look forward to and welcome his expertise, his presence in Washington, and his vast knowledge of our Order. Once he accepted this position, he resigned as SIF President.

SIF Board, and he is looking forward to working closely with Mr. DiTrapani. We are so fortunate to have such an abundance of knowledge from our past upon which to rely.

At the time of my election as National President in August 2017, I spoke of this administration’s goals and hopes for the future. They included fraternalism, communication, and transparency. I believe we have come a long way in the past 20 months to reach these goals! In bringing all the Grand Lodge and Subordinate Lodge Presidents together by means of monthly telephone conference calls, we are strengthening our organization.

I hope to see many of you at our upcoming NELA Gala on May 23 at the Gaylord Resort in Washington. We have some wonderful honorees who will speak and a wounded warrior that will be receiving the keys to a new modified van. An exciting evening you will not want to miss!

We are looking forward to the 56th Biennial Convention, August 11-18, in San Antonio, Texas. Actual convention days will be August 15-18. It will be held at the Hyatt Regency on the River Walk. Make plans now to see this very beautiful venue.

My hero, Dr. Vincent Sellaro, our founder, stated that we must come together, stay united, and help one another.

In that way, we will be able and proud to continue to carry on our traditions, our culture, and our language. It is up to us and what we do today!

I have appointed National Past President, Joseph Sciame, as the new SIF President. He was confirmed by the

Order Sons and Daughters of Italy in America® Gold Members (as of April 1, 2019) Linda Anderson (C) Tony Bisceglia Anderson (C) John Barbo Gregory Bianchini Mary Bianchini Philip Boncore, Esq. Robert Bongo John J. Burzichelli Nick Burzichelli Richard R. Della Croce Dr. Mark DeNunzio (C) Joseph DiTrapani (C) Carmelina Ferrito Robert Ferrito Rev. R. Adam Forno (C) Verne Foss (C) Karen Gallo

Michael Gallo Gloria Garibaldi Hon. Al Girolami (C) Vera Girolami (C) Biagio Isgro (C) Elia R. Kress Salvatore Lanzilotta Lynn Lawrence-Murphy (C) Tom LiPuma Frank LoCicero III Thom Lupo (C) Ernest Magliato Marie Marsalli Saverio “Sam” Mastandrea Carlo Matteucci (C) Michele Ment William Murphy

Anthony Naccarato Arlene Nunziati (C) Frank Panessa (C) Robert Paniccia Anthony Perfilio (C) Eldora Perfilio (C) Maria Fassio Pignati (C) Michael Polo (C) Paul Polo (C) Marianne Principe-O’Neil (C) Francis Privitera Dr. Thomas Pruse (C) Nancy Di Fiore Quinn (C) Anita Lombardi Riley (C) Walter Sonny Robak Dominic Rossi Joseph Russo (C)

If you are interested in becoming a Gold Member, please call (202) 547-2900 or email noffice@osia.org

SPRING 2019 31 ITALIAN AMERICA

Pauline Russo Frank Sammartano Cristina Santoro Louis Santoro Maria Sanvenero Vincent Sarno (C) Joseph Sciame (C) Antonio Sestito Marieanne Sestito Catena Spiritosanto Joanne Strollo (C) Steven Trent Joseph Vallone Amelia Jean Varni Nella Bianca Varni Keith Wilson Vincent Anthony Zaccaria, Sr. Paul Zanobelli “C” denotes Charter Member

ITALIAN AMERICA SPRING 2019 31

The Sons of Italy Foundation ®

HELPING THOSE IN NEED

The Foundation Focus

By Joseph Sciame, President

I want to express just how honored I am to succeed Joseph DiTrapani as Sons of Italy Foundation (SIF) President. After he served for an unprecedented six years and did such an exceptional job as SIF President, I can say that I will most certainly draw from his knowledge and experience while leading the Foundation forward.

As a member of the Order Sons & Daughters of Italy in America for the past 51 years and after having just served as SIF Trustee, I am well aware of the essential role that the Foundation plays in honoring our ancestors and promoting our Italian heritage. In fact, the Foundation was formed just nine years before I became a member—meaning I have been fortunate enough to see the incredible amount of SIF charity accumulate through the years. From earthquake relief and support of our national charities to contributions toward memorials and military veterans, the SIF has performed good works that we all, as Italians, can be proud of.

Most recently, the SIF made a second $100,000 donation in Central Italy earthquake relief to the Andrea Bocelli Foundation to rebuild a kindergarten and elementary school. The school will be completed this June—less than a year after ground was broken!

It’s a project like this that excites me to serve as SIF President. Imagining the wonderful projects that I will be involved in as SIF President is something that truly humbles me. Like all SIF Presidents before me, I will ensure that the SIF continues to make the world a better place and represents our Italian heritage in the highest possible manner. I hope you are as inspired and excited as I am for the SIF’s future and that you keep the Foundation in mind when you are considering giving to charity.

On May 23rd, the SIF will be holding its 31st Annual National Education & Leadership Awards (NELA) Gala, which promises to be yet another momentous evening.

This year we have a group of exceptional honorees as well as the very first Honorary Chairman. You can find more information about the 31st NELA Gala on page 13. I hope you are able to attend, but if not, remember that it will be streaming live on the Order Sons & Daughters of Italy in America Facebook page.

I look forward to carrying the Sons of Italy Foundation and its mission forward!

Order Your 2019 Sons of Italy T-Shirt today!

If you would like to receive a T-Shirt, we would be happy to send you one. Send a $25 donation to: Sons of Italy Foundation 219 E Street, NE Washington, DC 20002 Please provide us with your name and address, and we will send your Sons of Italy t-shirt within ten days of receipt, while supplies last.

Note: The t-shirts were created for the purpose of Sons of Italy Foundation fundraising. Because it is not feasible to produce the t-shirts in more than one size, only XL is available.

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ITALIAN AMERICA

The Commission for Social Justice ®

The CSJ Perspective

fighting defamation

ing future generations about what we, our parents, and our grandparents endured upon setting foot in this country.

By Kevin Caira, President

Before I address the Columbus Day onslaught that we continue to face, I would first like to share some very positive news. The City of New Orleans and Mayor LaToya Cantrell have agreed to issue a public apology for the largest lynching in United States history. The lynching, which occurred on March 1891 in New Orleans, involved 11 Italian immigrants who were wrongly arrested and lynched for the murder of New Orleans Police Chief David Hennessey.

The apology is set for April 12 at the American Italian Cultural Center in New Orleans and is a huge first step in our nation acknowledging the atrocities and prejudice Italian immigrants faced upon entering the United States.

In addition to the public apology, the City of New Orleans has agreed to place a statue to memorialize this tragic event. With the help of New York CSJ State Chair John Fratta and New York attorney Michael Santo, the National CSJ will be spearheading this project—the “1891 NOLA Project”—to determine the best available location for the statue, hire a skilled artist to design the statue, and raise the funds needed to complete this project. It is estimated that the statue will cost $200,000.

1891 NOLA Project is certainly one of the most worthy projects the Order and its CSJ have ever been involved in.

Not only will the statute honor those who lost their lives in the lynching, it will also educate the public about the kind of violent prejudice that Italian immigrants faced. This is a project that will be standing long after we are gone, teach-

I invite you to be a part of 1891 NOLA Project with a tax-deductible donation, 100% of which will go to the cost of the statue. Please see the form below for more information.

Meanwhile, we continue to face constant adversity when it comes to Columbus Day. I am sure many of you heard about University of Notre Dame President Rev. John Jenkins deciding to cover the 130-year-old Columbus murals in the main building just a year after having refused to do so. The National CSJ issued a stern reproach for his caving and reversal. Yet, his decision will stand.

This time of year, most of us are not thinking about Columbus Day, yet this is the time of year when it is threatened most in state houses across the country because legislators file bills at the beginning of the year. Many of those bills are being filed to eliminate Columbus Day. We must remain vigilant of our elected officials and hold them accountable for their actions against Italian heritage.

Unfortunately, the attack on Columbus Day continues to spread or is again being revisited in states like Colorado, Maryland, and Montana. But we must press on, and it is clear that in order to preserve Columbus Day, we must fight together. We must all voice our displeasure whenever and wherever Columbus Day is threatened. I encourage you to join the Commission for Social Justice Facebook page so that you can receive immediate alerts regarding Columbus Day and where the attacks are occurring. Together, we are strongest.

Sempre Avanti,

YES to 1891 NOLA Project!

I would like to contribute to the Italian immigrants memorial in New Orleans recognizing the largest lynching in U.S. history.

Please accept my tax-deductible donation to support the Commission for Social Justice’s mission.

To donate online, visit www.osia.org/csj

Name: Address: My check for the total amount of $

is enclosed.

(Please make check payable to the “Commission for Social Justice”)

Mail to:

Commission for Social Justice, 219 E Street NE, Washington, DC 20002

SPRING 2019 33 ITALIAN AMERICA

ITALIAN AMERICA SPRING 2019 33

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Letters to the Editor Just finished reading “The Simple Truth That’s Worth a Fortune” in my winter issue of Italian America magazine.

Tears flowed as I thought about my grandfather’s and father’s hands, all calloused from their day’s work as masons. It was their story and the story of so many Italian men who helped grow this beautiful country of ours with their strength.

Thank you for making your story come to life for me and stirring my very soul.You are an incredible writer.

Joy Restivo Nelson I’d like to comment on an article in the previous issue: The Last Word in the summer edition of Italian America. I wanted to share that I loved it.While I’m not old enough to have lived through the Depression, having heard stories from my mother and others, I found it insightful and a touching reminder of what so many Italian immigrants experienced.

Aurora Sperlunto Haddon Heights Lodge #2311 Haddon Heights, NJ

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ITALIAN AMERICA

Italian America®

Italian America Magazine is produced by the national headquarters of the Order Sons & Daughters of Italy in America®, 219 E Street NE, Washington, DC 20002.

Tel: 202/547-2900.

Email: nationaloffice@osia.org Chief Operating Officer Joseph J. DiTrapani Editor-in-Chief Miles Ryan Fisher Administrative Director Emily Heinrich Bookkeeper Adam Jacobs Director, Operations and Programming Carly Jerome Italian America is the official publication of the Order Sons & Daughters of Italy in America® (OSDIA), the largest and longest-established organization of American men and women of Italian heritage. Italian America provides timely information about OSDIA, 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 OSDIA, 219 E Street NE, Washington, DC 20002.

Periodicals postage paid at Washington, D.C., and at additional mailing offices. ©2015 Order Sons & Daughters 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 OSDIA. Mention of a product or service in advertisements or text does not mean that it has been tested, approved or endorsed by OSDIA, 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 OSDIA members. Single copies are $4.95 each.OSDIA MEMBERS: Please send address changes to your local lodge. Do not contact the OSDIA National Office.

POSTMASTER: Send address changes to Italian America, 219 E Street NE, Washington, DC 20002. Subscriptions are available through the OSDIA National Office, 219 E Street, NE, Washington, DC 20002. OSDIA membership information is available at (800) 552-OSDIA or at www.

OSDIA.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: Contact ItalianAmerica@osia.org (202) 547-2900. Also see www.osia.org for advertising rates, specs, demographics, etc.

SPRING 2019 35 ITALIAN AMERICA

By Miles Ryan Fisher Editor-in-Chief, Italian America Magazine

I’ve always been a light eater, the kind of person who grazes his way through the day. When I was little, this habit exasperated my grandmother, Clara, a diminutive nonna who would make sure you saw things her way. But she couldn’t reason with a little boy who left half his dinner on his plate. That wasn’t what exasperated her, though.

What exasperated her was when she would find me in the kitchen less than an hour after the large meal she’d cooked, nibbling on something—maybe even the fresh leftovers stored in the refrigerator.

As I’ve grown older, these eating habits have followed me. I’ve opted for smaller portions and lighter foods over larger, heavier ones. Quite naturally, I’ve gravitated toward a more Mediterranean diet—one focused more on pasta and vegetables, fish and cheese, leaner types of meat and olive oil … lots and lots of olive oil.

When I visited Italy for the first time, I was surprised to discover just how much smaller and lighter their portions are compared to those served in the United States. For me, however, they were perfect. I’d finally found a place that suited my eating habits—and it just so happened to be in the land where my grandmother’s Abruzzese father and Campanian mother were born.

When I returned from Italy, I felt emboldened. Smaller portions, lighter foods—this was how Italy eats! The more I read about their eating habits, the more I learned just how healthy these habits are. Then recently, the US News and World Report declared the Mediterranean diet to be 2019’s best overall diet. So it’s no surprise that many of the world’s centenarians live in Italy and consume a Mediterranean diet.

Armed with this knowledge, I wish my grandmother were still alive so that I could make her see things my way. I imagine myself back in Ithaca, New York, where I went to college. I imagine sitting in my grandparents’ kitchen as she served me a plate of her chicken Marsala. I imagine saying, “You see, Mom-Mom? How I ate as a little boy is a healthier way of eating.” And then with gusto I would declare that our country needs to do a better job of what it does well—taking the best of what every culture has to offer and adopting it as its own. “We need to eat more like Italy!”

I’m sure she’d listen while making sure that I finished an entire plate of her chicken Marsala. She’d make a few subtle noises, indicating that maybe she didn’t entirely agree with my perspective while formulating her response.

Then, once I was finished talking and clearly full from her cooking, she’d get a concerned look on her face and say, “But don’t you want dessert?”

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Piacere! PLEASED TO MEET YOU, Suzi

Suzi Quatro Suzi Quatro is a rock musician and actress who has sold more than 55 million albums worldwide. The first female bass player to reach rock n’ roll stardom, Suzi played in bands The Pleasure Seekers and Cradle in the 1960s before becoming a solo act. She experienced much of her success in Europe, where she tours extensively. Her biggest hit in the United States came in 1979, when she recorded a duet with Smokie’s lead singer Christ Norman called “Stumblin’ In.” In addition to her music, she became known for her role on “Happy Days” as Leather Tuscadero, the tough younger sister of Arthur Fonzarelli’s girlfriend.

Suzi’s grandfather, Michael Quattrocchi, emigrated from Italy when he was ten years old and came through Ellis Island, where immigration authorities shortened his name to Quatro. He worked in the coal mines before settling in Detroit to work in the automotive industry while raising her father, Art Quatro.

Your father, Art Quatro, was a jazz musician in the Art Quatro Trio. He also worked at General Motors.

Tell us how he balanced both.

Hard balance. He was up at 5 a.m. to go to work and home at 5 p.m. for dinner. Then he’d go out to play a gig.

I think he existed on very little sleep, but he would never give up his music, and he gave that love to me.

How did your father’s love for music encourage your own passion for it?

I watched him play from a very young age. I was fascinated. He seemed to enjoy it so much, and he passed that joy on to the audience. My entertainment gene came directly from him as well as my work ethic. I am a professional just like him.

Check out Suzi’s new album No Control out now!

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You were the first female to establish herself in rock music.

Tell us about some of the challenges you faced as a female bassist in the rock n’ roll environment.

Luckily for me, I don’t genderize. I never called myself a female musician, just a musician. I respected myself,

believed in myself, and played the bass seriously 55 years now. I demanded respect, and I earned it.

In your music and your acting, you exhibit such strength in attitude. Do you consider this the trait that most helped you become successful?

Yes, I do. If you don’t believe in yourself, you will never have success privately or professionally.

Tell us about a time when someone stood up for you.

Perhaps my mother. I say perhaps, because in reality I fought my own battles.

As a trailblazer for women in rock music, what is your relationship with those who came after you?

Are there any whom you’re especially proud of paving a path for?

All of them. Every single one. I’m so happy for each of them because I was the first way back in 1973 with my first number one kicking down the door, which gave permission for women to be in rock. They have all thanked me at one time or another.

You tour extensively in Europe.When you perform in Italy, which city do you look forward to performing in most and why?

Rome is my spiritual home. I feel the Italian blood running through my veins whenever I go there.

If you could perform just one final song—one that isn’t yours—which song would it be and why?

“God Bless the Child” by Billie Holiday. The lyrics mean something to me.

Share with us some words to live by.

My new album says it all. Stay true to you. I GOTTA HOLD ON TO ME. It’s all you have in this world, so let your light shine.

ITALIAN AMERICA

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