Culture

Year: 1934.  Region: Abruzzo, Italy.  You: A poor farmer plowing your field.  Discovery: One of the most archeologically significant finds in your country’s history.   Amidst the Gran Sasso National Park in the Province of L’Aquila, a nearly 7-foot limestone …

Who do you want to be when you grow up? “I want to be an astronaut,” many young boys – and a few girls – would answer. Some of them actually make it, including 37-year old ESA/ASI astronaut Samantha Cristoforetti, …

During November, Americans bring chrysanthemums to Roman social events. These New England and Midwestern transplants mean well. What could brighten an autumn engagement party at Cul de Sac or a Thanksgiving banquet at AUR better than mums? Gasps of horror …

L’orgoglio delle radici. Il riconoscimento delle positività espresse dagli italiani di ieri e di oggi. In un’intervista al Corriere della Sera, il sindaco di New York, Bill De Blasio è stato molto chiaro: “Sono americano, ma sono orgoglioso delle mie …

Dear Readers, December is here, but while “Jesus is the reason for the Season”, each year it seems the focus becomes the ringing of cash registers rather than church bells. Do your holiday shopping with an Italian connection: ***   …

Monuments are problematic, especially official state or national monuments. They dictate to the viewer what to think.  How do we commemorate without dictating?  Mount Rushmore’s intended message does not stop Douglas Gladstone in Carving a Niche for Himself from problematizing …

Cosimo I de’ Medici (1519 –1574) was one of the most important members of the Florentine de’ Medici family. He was the second Duke of Florence from 1537 until 1569, and eventually became the first Grand Duke of Tuscany. If …

Una vita per difendere i diritti civili e diffondere i valori della cultura italiana in America. E per la professoressa Maria Fosco, nata a New York, figlia di emigranti di Orsogna (Chieti), è arrivato un prestigioso riconoscimento in occasione del …

Dear Readers, November notes with an Italian connection: Thanksgiving Day is celebrated the fourth Thursday in November, since it was so fixed by President Lincoln in 1864. The custom dated back to the day of Thanksgiving set aside by the …

Recently a student and I were having a discussion about Pearl Harbor and the detrimental impact it had on the Japanese American population.  From our conversation I realized the student was unaware of how Italians were also mistreated and classified …