Thirty-One Days of Italians for Italian American Heritage Month
by Janice Therese Mancuso
The legacy of Italians who contributed to the growth and prosperity of America is a significant part of American history, but often overlooked. Iconic products that symbolized American life – Zamboni, Radio Flyer, Tropicana, Planters Peanuts, Subway, Jeno’s – and concepts that improved American standards – Giannini’s bank, a Montessori education, the Rogallo wing, Marconi’s wireless communication, Meucci’s telephone – have been absorbed into American society with little recognition of their Italian roots.
In 2006, Thirty-One Days of Italians was founded to educate all nationalities about the prominent role Italians and Italian Americans had in developing the products and concepts that are now ingrained in America. The website features 75 people of Italian heritage, recognizing them for their extraordinary achievements. Biographies and links to credible resources provide an easily accessible year-round reference guide for teachers, students, homeschool parents, and anyone else interested in learning about Italian American history.
For Italian American Heritage Month, a calendar provides a date and name to celebrate for each day in October. The first day honors all Italian immigrants and the last day is set aside to honor someone special. While all on the list are noteworthy, Honorary Members [HM] are on the calendar every year: (in alphabetical order): Father Pietro Bandini, Constantino Brumidi, Mother Francis Cabrini, Enrico Caruso, Christopher Columbus, Enrico Fermi, Amadeo Pietro Giannini, Guglielmo Marconi, Filippo Mazzei, Antonio Meucci, Maria Montessori, Andrea Palladio, Antonio Pasin, Arturo Toscanini, and Amerigo Vespucci.
The remaining days are assigned to others on a rotating basis. The 2025-2026 List includes (in alphabetical order) Mario Andretti, John Buscema, Frank Capra, Eusebio Francesco Chini (Father Kino), Enrico de Tonti, Daniela Gioseffi, Mario Lanza, Jeno F. Paulucci, Leonard Riggio, Francis Rogallo, Francesco Scavullo, Charles Angelo Siringo, Giuseppe Maria Francesco Vigo, and Frank Zamboni.
2025-2026 LIST OF THIRTY-ONE DAYS OF ITALIANS
The Quick Facts List of Thirty-One Days of Italians provides a date and name to celebrate for each day in October when Italian Americans honor their culture and heritage.
HM: Honorary Member (On the List every year.)
October 1: The Italian Immigrant [HM]
A day to honor every Italian who journeyed to America from Italy.
October 2: Amadeo Pietro Giannini [HM]
Established the branch banking system in America.
October 3: Guglielmo Marconi [HM]
Known as the Father of Radio for his experiments with long distance wireless transmissions.
October 4: Filippo Mazzei [HM]
Supporter of American freedom during American Revolution. Thomas Jefferson’s inclusion of “all men are created equal” into the Declaration of Independence is a paraphrase of Mazzei’s “All men are by nature equally free and independent.”
October 5: Antonio Meucci [HM]
Original holder of the patent for the forerunner of today’s telephone.
October 6: Frank Capra
Acclaimed 20th century film director, best known for It’s A Wonderful Life.
October 7: Francesco Scavullo
One of the most prominent glamour, fashion, and celebrity photographers in the world.
October 8: John Buscema
Master artist at Marvel Comics.
October 9: Father Pietro Bandini [HM]
Missionary for Native Americans. In 1898 established Tontitown, “a perfect example of colonization” in Arkansas.
October 10: Enrico Fermi [HM]
Discovered radioactive elements that heralded the nuclear age.
October 11: Antonio Pasin [HM]
Created Radio Flyer wagon.
October 12: Christopher Columbus [HM]
Navigator that changed the world, opening trade routes and immigration from Europe to the Americas.
October 13: Maria Montessori, M.D [HM]
Developed an educational method for teaching children.
October 14: Mario Andretti
Record-setting race car driver with over 100 wins, and the only driver to win the Daytona 500, Indy 500, and Formula One.
October 15: Enrico de Tonti
Exploring for the French under the name Henri de Tonti, he arrived in America with La Salle in 1678. Established the first settlement in Arkansas, earning him the title “Father of Arkansas.”
October 16: Francis Rogallo
Developed the Rogallo wing, a flexible wing that earned him the title “father of modern hang gliding.”
October 17: Mother Francis Xavier Cabrini [HM]
First American citizen to become a saint.
October 18: Enrico Caruso [HM]
World’s most acclaimed tenor in the early 1900s.
October 19: Daniela Gioseffi
Award winning poet, writer, lecturer, and educator.
October 20: Mario Lanza
Renowned tenor and film star in the mid-1950s.
October 21: Arturo Toscanini [HM]
One of the world’s greatest orchestra conductors.
October 22: Giuseppe Maria Francesco Vigo
Assisted the American colonies during the Revolutionary War.
October 23: Eusebio Francesco Chini (Eusebio Kino)
Jesuit sent to Mexico in 1681. Charted maps and discovered that Baja California was a peninsula. His maps of the southwest were used until the early 1800s.
October 24: Jeno F. Paulucci
Founder of Chun King Chinese Food, Jeno’s Pizza, and Bellisio Foods, the parent company of Michelina’s, and the National Italian American Foundation (NIAF).
October 25: Amerigo Vespucci [HM]
Namesake of America.
October 26: Frank J. Zamboni
Creator of the world’s first ice resurfacing machine.
October 27: Constantino Brumidi [HM]
Known as the “Michelangelo of the [U.S.] Capitol.”
October 28: Charles Angelo Siringo
One of the first Pinkerton undercover detectives, and attributed as a leading figure of cowboy heroes of the American West.
October 29: Leonard Riggio
Built Barnes & Noble into a book superstore during the 1980s and 90s.
October 30: Andrea Palladio [HM]
“Father of Architecture,” wrote The Four Books on Architecture, the most famous and influential books on architecture of all time, and still in print.
October 31: Your Favorite Italian
Celebrate someone not on the list, but greatly admired.
Visit thirtyonedaysofitalians.com to learn more about the remarkable Italian Americans who have greatly contributed to American culture, society, and history.
Image: Enrico de Tonti, Charles Angelo Siringo, Francesco Scavullo, Francis Rogallo.