Dear Readers,
October will always be Italian Heritage Month in the heart of Italo-Americans and although Columbus and his day may be politically incorrect, “Indigenous People’s Day” is a bit over- the-top correct in my book. Nonetheless we live and let live and hope others will extend to us the same courtesy... Back in 1992 all this ruckus and rewriting of history started as Americans celebrated the 500th anniversary of Christopher Columbus’ voyage to America and the discovery of the “New World.”
In some California school districts politicians began renamed the day “Heritage Day”, or “Indigenous People’s Day”. Also in 1992 Signora M.C., a long-time reader in Salt Lake City, Utah, wrote that thanks to the efforts of Calabrian-born (Grimaldi, Consenza) Fortunato Anselmo, Italian Consul for Utah and Wyoming, the land-locked state of Utah was one of the first states to declare a state holiday in honor of Columbus in 1919. He then spent another 30 years lobbying to make it a National holiday too.
Here is a little more info: “The Italian Olympic Team of 1933 slept here. So did Italian heavyweight champion Primo Carnera and Eugenio Cardinal Pacelli, the man who later became Pope Pius XII. But the major reason the venerable man- sion at 164 So. 900 East in Salt Lake City is listed on the National Register of Historic Sites is its connection to an even more famous Italian - Christopher Columbus. Fortunato Anselmo, Italian consul for Utah and Wyoming, used the home as his base for a 30-year quest to persuade Congress to create a national holiday honoring Columbus. In 1971 Congress eventually concurred, establishing October 12 as Columbus Day.” (Note: I once read that President Franklin D. Roosevelt first proclaimed this a National holiday in 1934, but due to WWII it was voided until 1971.)
“Mr. Anselmo had lobbied the Utah Legislature to make Columbus Day a state holiday in 1919. He was honored for his contribution by Utah’s then Senator Frank Moss in an October 11, 1974 entry in the Congressional Record: “A dedicated American, Fortunato Anselmo, over 60 years ago fully understood the great contribution that Columbus had made to the world. Through Mr. Anselmo’s efforts, Utah became one of the first states to declare a state holiday in honor of Columbus.
“Mr. Anselmo’s efforts did not stop there. He turned his attention to getting a national holiday...and for the next 30 years, this was diligently pursued.” Mr. Anslemo was a unique figure in Salt Lake City and Utah in the early part of the century. He came here in 1913 to engage in the wholesale food-importing business after emigrating from his native Italy to Colorado in 1901. In 1914 he was the founder, publisher and editor of La Gazzetta Italiana, an Italian language newspaper.
He sold the paper in 1915 when appointed Italian vice consul for Utah and Wyoming. Mr. Anselmo’s friendship with several Utah governors, senators and other state and national figures was a key to his long campaign to enshrine Columbus Day for all Americans.
***
Since October is Italian Heritage Month, I want to thank all of the subscribers and advertisers who support our newspaper. I especially want to thank those of you who encourage other Italian-Americans to subscribe to L’Italo-Americano and give subscriptions as gifts. Few things infuriate me more than the hypocrisy of some of our self-styled Italian-American leaders who talk about preserving and promoting our heritage and never support, or even sub- scribe to L’Italo-Americano or the Italian-American press in their state.
They think promoting “Italian culture” begins and ends with attending spaghetti dinners, or wearing a red, white and green hat and a button that says “Kiss Me, I’m Italian,” or maybe an apron that says “Italian- Lover, 24-hour Service, Pasta and Wine Included.” Some of our colorful brethren are promoting “the culture” to the best of their ability.
The ones that get me hot are those in leadership positions who use the organizations solely for their own self-aggrandizement; tuxedo-clad turkeys, passionately pursuing plaques, talking about preserving and promoting our culture, but promoting only themselves and ignoring our Italian-American press -unless they want their club events publicized or they want a picture of themselves holding an award or plaque published.
“Grazie” to all of you who support our L’Italo-Americano newspaper “con tutto il cuore” because you realize what a treasure it is to our community. Our publisher Robert Barbera, who has been providing a community service ever since he took over publication of L’Italo- Americano when the Scalabrini Fathers decided to focus on other fields, cannot do it alone. He needs your enthusiastic support, so,
“Cari lettori,” do your part:
“L’Italo-Americano is the only newspaper made by and for the Italian-American Community in California. For over 100 years L’Italo-Americano has been a leading voice celebrating the Italian heritage and acknowledging the enormous contribution Italy has given to the rest of the world.
We at L’Italo-Americano are not just dedicated to publishing a newspaper, We are dedicated to preserving our precious heritage. A century ago we established a mission for our paper: to help keep our community together and its members and organizations in touch with each other. This is still what lights up our work today.
Providing a weekly publication with compelling articles, graphics and content comes at a price. As other publications have failed due to rising costs, we have persevered. Not because we have not felt economic hardship, but because we feel too deeply committed to let our publication fall to the wayside.
But to continue our service, we need your help. L’Italo-Americano is a not for-profit charitable organization operating for the benefit of the Italian-American Community. It exists because of the generosity of its members - the subscribers - and advertisers. We are an organization dedicated solely to serving the Italian-American community, and it is only by supporting each other that we can continue to do so...”
Sempre avanti cari lettori and remember to send us your positive news stories, renew your own subscription, tell everyone you know who is taking Italian classes about our newspaper, and encourage friends who want to borrow your copy to subscribe, or buy them a gift subscription. And remember: a subscription to L’Italo- Americano makes a great gift for all of your friends and relatives in the U.S.A. throughout the year.
