New Italian American Museum Proposed for New York City

I recently just read in the New York Times about third generation Italian American Joseph Grano Jr., who recently began raising capital with investors for a new Italian American Museum in New York. Now, as you know there's an Italian American Museum already located in Little Italy, New York. The existing museum is definitely low key with no modern day amenities but a wonderful contribution and landmark to our Italian American community in New York City.

The proposed idea for the new museum would include an amphitheater, private rooms, exhibit galleries and much more-- the location would be a 124-year-old Victorian pier in Lower Manhattan.

I love the idea and hopefully the reality of a new cultural landmark celebrating Italian Americans in New York. This is a great example of someone in the right position utilizing his social and monetary capital to memorialize and educate younger Italian American generations.

Once the museum is built and at full capacity, I would like to see the museum being integrated into Italian education programs throughout the country. Now a days, "build it and they will come" isn't enough. We have to be sure just because it looks good on paper that Italian Americans are really getting the education and a use for the museum. It can't be a billion dollar boys club where private parties and Italian American cliques are the only people involved with it, there needs to be a sense of community. The Italian American community at times can be very divided here in the tri-state area. Being or knowing particular people always seem to get you in the right doors and such-- but to be honest its such a turn off and really takes away from learning the traditions and history of Italian Americans. I witness this constantly within the online social media circles, as Italian Americans we need to be more united and deliver consistent messaging, whether via a blog post or building a million dollar museum.

For more on the New York Times Article:
http://www.nytimes.com/2010/12/08/nyregion/08about.html


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Italian American Museum Presents Two Award Winning Authors On November 6th in New York City.

THE ITALIAN AMERICAN MUSEUM IS PLEASED TO ANNOUNCE:
TWO AWARD WINNING ITALIAN AMERICAN AUTHORS
PRESENTING THEIR BOOKS:
NOVEMBER 6th, Friday Evening, 6 PM


DANIELA GIOSEFFI is a widely published author who has read from her books on campuses and at cultural centers, from Columbia and Princeton to Oxford or Venice, and Barcelona, as well as for National Public Radio as well as British Broadcasting. She will read from her latest book, a bilingual edition of her new and selected poems, titled "Blood Autumn, Autunno di Sangue." Her work has appeared in numerous literary magazines and anthologies from The Paris Review to The Nation, to Stories of the American Experience, Oxford University Press.

MICHAEL PALMA has published two poetry books, "The Egg Shape and Antibodies", and a full length collection, "A Fortune in Gold," as well as an Internet book. He has also published books by Sergio Corazzini, Armando Patti, Luigi Fontanella, and edited New Italian Poets with Dana Gioia, as well as a volume of translations from Luciano Erba with Alfredo de Palchi. His essay, “The Road to Rome, and Back Again" appeared in The Pushcart Prize XVII (2003). Michael Palma is, also the poetry editor for an Italian Americana magazine.

Visit http://italianamericanmuseum.org/ Tweet

Italian American Museum Celebrates Italian Heritage & Culture Month.

Italian American Museum in Little Italy, NYC will be honoring and celebrating Italian Americans this month for Italian Heritage & Culture Month with scheduled events at the museum.

Thursday, October 8, 2009
Italian American Museum presents
Cinema Culturale Series:
Pay or Die
6:30pm
Limited Seating


Wednesday, November 4, 2009
Italian American Museum presents
Book Presentation
Elizabeth Street
with author, Laurie Fabiano
6:30pm
Limited Seating

Thursday, November 5, 2009
Italian American Museum presents
The Life of Joseph Petrosino
Lecture by Prof. Ann T. Romano
6:30pm
Limited Seating

Sunday, November 8, 2009
Italian American Museum presents
*2nd Ambasciatore Awards
VIP Country Club
600 Davenport Avenue
New Rochelle, New York
Brunch from 9:00 A.M. to 12 Noon

For More Information:

http://italianamericanmuseum.com/

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Italian-American Author, Patricia Volonakis Davis, to Appear at Italian-American Museum for Fundraiser In New York City On June 7th 2009.

An award-winning memoir by author Patricia Volonakis Davis delivers an honest, insightful and often hilarious look at cross-cultural marriage and the pursuit of ‘Happily Ever After’ in Harlot’s Sauce: A Memoir of Food, Family, Love, Loss, and Greece.

A first generation Italian-American, Davis describes the challenges and benefits of growing up as a ‘Something-Hyphen-American’ in Long Island, N.Y. Uninterested in dating ‘Real Americans’ who had neither an accent nor a clue about ethnic foods and Old World superstitions, Davis met and married a Greek man. This memoir follows their courtship, marriage, move to Greece,—culminating in a lesson on female empowerment and self-actualization.

Ms. Davis will appear as a fundraiser for the Italian American Museum on Sunday, June 7, 2009, from 2- 4 p.m., where she will discuss some interesting historical facts about Italy’s occupation of Greece during WWII, and a more lighthearted reading on Italian food “versus” Greek food. Books sales will benefit the museum, and refreshments will be served.

(Harlot’s Sauce is also available for purchase through www.amazon.com, and all fine bookshops.)

ABOUT THE AUTHOR
Patricia Volonakis Davis is editor-in-chief of Harlots’ Sauce Radio (www.harlotssauce.com), a popular online magazine and podcast. She is the author of If This Woman is Being Operated Recklessly, and other poems on women’s issues, and her essays, stories, and celebrity interviews have appeared in various newspapers and magazines nationally and internationally. Originally from N.Y., she currently resides in Northern California. Tweet

Upcoming Italian American Events.

This month is packed with great events for the Italian American community. Some of the most prominent organizations and entertainers are hosting star studded events with awards and honors to outstanding Italian Americans across the country. Check the list below for events if you're interested in attending:

-May 3rd Giada Valenti Performs at St. John's University For Abruzzo Quake Relief Fund. http://tinyurl.com/co95re

-May 16th- Italian American Museum is hosting their annual Gala Awards Dinner at Cipriani's in New York City. For more information: http://italianamericanmuseum.com/news/gala09.html

-May 19th- The National Italian American Foundation is hosting their annual East Coast Gala, where Italian American celebrities will be present to honor outstanding Italian Americans this year. For more information: http://niaf.org/events/2009/ec_gala/ec_gala_home.asp

-June 5th- The Order Sons of Italy Tri Valley Lodge #2829 Presents "A Cafe Night of Acappella and Dinner with CHOICE, Jersey City's Bad Boys of Acappella."
For Information- Visit: http://www.myspace.com/choicebadboys

-June 20th- New Jersey Bocce Invitational will be held in honor of supporting our troops. The event will take place in NJ. Italian American celebrities are slated to appear at this event. See here for more details. http://tinyurl.com/cptuha Tweet

The Italian American Museum Presents A Book Signing by Author, Vincenza Scarpaci, For The Book, "The Journey of the Italians In America."

The Italian American Museum invites Italian-Americans to the Presentation & Book Signing by
Author, Vincenza Scarpaci.
The new book is called, "The Journey of the Italians In America," will be presented on:
Saturday, November 15, 2008
6 P.M. - 8 P.M.
Italian American Museum
155 Mulberry St. NY, NY 10019


For more information:
http://www.italianamericanmuseum.org/ Tweet

Italian American Museum Presents Award Winning TV & Documentary Producer Tony Di Nonno and Presentation of "Antonio Meucci and the Age of Invention."

The Italian American Museum presents the speech and presentation by award winning TV producer and documentary film maker, Tony DiNonno. The film, "Antonio Meucci and the Age of Invention, " reveals the life of Antonio Meucci, the real inventor of the telephone.

The film will be shown on:

November 19, 2008
Wednesday Evening - 7P.M.
Italian American Museum
155 Mulberry St. NY, NY 10019
Limited Seating! Reservations Required!

For more information on the Italian American Museum visit:

http://www.italianamericanmuseum.org/

This event was Sponsored by New York Council for the Humanities, a state-affiliate of the National Endowment for the Humanities.

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Great Article About the Columbus Day Parade in NYC, featured in the New York Times.

Thanks to our friends over at the Italian American Museum, I was enlightened with this great article featured in the New York Times.

http://click.icptrack.com/icp/relay.php?r=1019289749&msgid=4075614&act=7IF0&c=3549&admin=0&destination=http%3A%2F%2Fwww.nytimes.com%2F2008%2F10%2F14%2Fnyregion%2F14nyc.html%3F_r%3D1%26scp%3D4%26sq%3Ditalian%2520american%2520museum%26st%3Dcse%26oref%3Dslogin Tweet

The Italian American Museum Opens In Little Italy!

For those of you who love history, this is the perfect place to go. The Italian American Museum is now open in its new building on Mulberry Street in Little Italy. The new location was once the old location of the original Banca Stabile, which was used by tons of Italian Americans in New York during 1882 to 1938. Inside you will find original structures and artifacts left by the building's previous owners. For more information on this magnificent structure and hours of visitation, please visit www.http://www.italianamericanmuseum.org/ Tweet