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,…
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Interview by Jo Ann Cavallo, Columbia University On July 30, 2025, I had the pleasure of interviewing Janine Cortese Coyne about her work as curator of the Italian American Museum in New York City, including preparations for the museum’s permanent collection and current exhibits on the Manteo family’s Catanese-style Sicilian puppets and the S.S. Andrea…
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Daniele Fioretti Manuela Filomena is PhD candidate in Comparative Studies at Florida Atlantic University. I had the pleasure to watch her wonderful documentary My Florita, focused on the Italian American identity in South Florida, so I decided to interview her – and the producer Eufrasio Volpe – for the IAC website. Can you tell us…
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by Rosie Schuermann Dr. Dominic Rizzo’s Italian American journey began when he was just seven months oldwhen his family immigrated to the United States. HIs father’s family owned a multi-generationalbattery business in Italy that went out of business and sparked their move to the United States.Initially his family lived briefly in New York before moving…
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Interview by Jo Ann Cavallo, Columbia University On April 2, 2025, I had the privilege of interviewing Anna Lomax Wood about her experiences researching the musical traditions of Italian immigrants in the tri-state area (NY-NJ-CT) during the 1970s and 1980s, her involvement in various initiatives to document and support folk culture, as well as her…
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by: Janice Therese Mancuso The Verrazzano-Narrows Bridge – often called the Verrazzano Bridge – is among the acclaimed bridges in New York, and often noted as one of the most well-known bridges in America. Not as well known is John N. LaCorte, a pioneer in advocating Italian American history and culture, and the man responsible…
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By: Caden Davis When one commonly thinks of Italian food, they most likely will picture the classic spaghetti and meatballs, pizza, or lasagna. The more well versed may even refer to testaroli and pizzells. However, it is unlikely that one’s first thought would be the effect that the food has on people. While it isn’t…
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by Collin Carroll America is a country of Immigrants. For centuries, families and individuals have beenimmigrating to the United States in search of new opportunities and a path to a better life. Someof the largest groups to make this trip were Italian and Irish immigrants. While their culturaltraditions, languages, and religious practices differed in many…
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With insight from a student from Reggio Emilia University by Alessandra Iarriccio Italian School Culture: Stereotypes and Social Commentary Italian schools are frequently characterized by certain enduring stereotypes, particularly among outsiders and even within the Italian population. Among the most common according to a student from a university in Reggio Emilia, Italy is the belief…
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With insight from a student from Reggio Emilia University by Alessandra Iarriccio Education plays a crucial role in shaping young individuals and societies. While every country has its own approach to education, Italy and the United States have distinct systems that reflect their unique histories, values, and culture. By examining the structure in both Italy…
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