The wave of Italian immigrants arriving in America during the 20 years before and after the turn of the 20th century brought the laborers that the States needed to grow – those who worked in the mines, built the railroad tracks and roadways, and toiled in the factories and warehouses. Within the surge of immigration was an abundance of ingenuity and perseverance that benefitted the development of American society along with commerce and infrastructure.
Hundreds of years before the Industrial Revolution in America, Giovanni da Verrazzano (born in Greve, Tuscany) sailed for France along the East Coast of what is now the U.S. He discovered New York Harbor and described his findings in a letter to King Francis I. This past April, New York, Florence and France celebrated the 500th Anniversary of Verrazzano’s discovery.
Three hundred years after Verrazzano, the Jesuits, many of Italian heritage, would settle in America, teaching and learning about Native Americans through the educational and spiritual programs they provided. The missionaries also assisted the Natives in their negotiations with the Federal Government. Father Michael Accolti was instrumental in establishing the California Province of Jesuits in the mid-1840s.
Giovanni da Verrazzano and Father Michael Accolti are two Italian trailblazers on Thirty-One Days of Italians, a list of 75 people of Italian heritage who have greatly contributed to the growth and prosperity of America. Thirty-One Days of Italians was founded in 2006, providing a foundation for research and an October calendar with each day celebrating Italian American history.
The list includes 15 permanent Honorary Members who have made lasting contributions to American culture and society. In alphabetical order, they are 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 month starts with acknowledging Italian immigrants, the cornerstone of Italian American history, heritage and culture. The last day of October is a day to honor anyone of Italian heritage who has enhanced your life.
The remaining 14 days feature an incredible group of people, with names rotating so each secures a day of honor every four to five years. Names are selected one year in advance. Along with Father Michael Accolti and Giovanni da Verrazzano, the 2024-2025 list includes Joseph Barbera, Giacomo Costantino Beltrami, Charles J. Bonaparte, Luigi Del Bianco, the Grucci Family, the Jacuzzi Family, Rocky Marciano, Dean Martin, Robert Mondavi, Amedeo Obici, Sabato Rodia, and Giovanni Schiavo.
Giovanni Schiavo may not be a well-known name, but many who study and write about Italian American history claim he is most responsible for initiating Italian American studies. Schiavo started Vigo Press in 1934 to publish his works on Italians in America. He was overlooked by academic peers because his degrees were not in Italian-related fields, but degrees in Italian American studies would not be offered for at least 40 years and are still quite limited in their scope.
From 1921 to 1955, Sabato Rodia singlehandedly built the Watts Towers: 17 structures composed of steel rods embellished with glass, pottery, tiles, seashells, and other materials. The towers symbolize “freedom, creativity, and initiative” for other cultures in Los Angeles, and collectively is a National Historic Landmark, on the National Register of Historic Places, a California State Historic Monument, a California State Historic Park, and a Los Angeles Cultural Heritage Monument.
Another artist contributing to American culture is Luigi Del Bianco, the chief stone carver on Mt. Rushmore. Through the diligence of his grandson, Lou Del Bianco, the sculptor received recognition for his work from the National Park Service in 2017. In addition to his artwork, Luigi was admired for his treatment of the workers, most notably Native Americans, and Luigi’s wife was known for bringing pots of tomato sauce to the local reservation.
In the early 1800s, explorer Giacomo Costantino Beltrami traveled upstream on the Mississippi River and collected Native American artifacts, believed to be the first ever assembled. Charles J. Bonaparte, a member of the Board of Indian Commissioners in the early 1900s, established a special exploratory force in 1906 that became the Federal Bureau of Investigation.
Amedeo Obici, known as “The Peanut Specialist,” founded Planters Peanut Company in 1906. Obici and his wife were well-known for their generosity, hosting many charitable events for the employees. In tribute to his wife after she died, Obici created an endowment for a hospital. The Louise Obici Memorial Hospital is now part of Sentara.
The Grucci Family, known as “America’s First Family of Fireworks,” began their business in the states in 1850, when their patriarch, a trained pyrotechnician, brought his skills from Italy to America. The Jacuzzi Family, all mechanics by trade, is most well-known for the hydrotherapy pump and their name is synonymous with superior quality whirlpool tubs.
Joseph Barbera (of Hanna-Barbera fame), Rocky Marciano, Dean Martin, and Robert Mondavi round out the 2024-2025 list of Thirty-One Days of Italians.
For biographies, resources and the 2024 October calendar, visit http://thirtyonedaysofitalians.com/.
