Ben Lariccia
Ben Lariccia, contributing writer, Youngstown, Ohio
St. Francis of Assisi: The First Known Writer in Italian
July 2019
Il 4 ottobre ricorre la memoria di San Francesco d’Assisi, nato nel 1182 e fondatore dell’Ordine francescano. La sua opera, il Cantico delle Creature, noto anche come Cantico di Frate Sole e composto nel 1226 circa, costituisce il testo poetico più...
The Oblate Sisters of Villa Maria: from Italy to the Youngstown Area
October 2018
The Italian word “oblato” means “offered.” The Oblates of the Sacred Heart of Jesus have called the Diocese of Youngstown home for almost seven decades. They continue to dedicate their ministry, individually and collectively, as an offering to God....
Celestino Petrarca: A Newspaperman's Fight Against Prejudice
September 2018
Dal 1902 al 1938, l’area metropolitana di Youngstown ha vantato un settimanale in lingua italiana, Il Cittadino Italo Americano. Elpidio Buonpane ne avviò la pubblicazione nel 1902 e nel 1920 la vendette all’imprenditore Celestino Petrarca. In soli...
Local Italian American History: From Agnone to Hubbard Township - Part 2
July 2018
I primi immigranti italiani a stabilirsi nella valle del Mahoning giunsero durante lo sciopero dei minatori di carbone del 1873, quando i proprietari delle miniere ricorsero alla pratica di importare lavoratori sostitutivi, chiamati crumiri. La...
Local Italian American History: From Agnone to Hubbard Township - Part 1
June 2018
Filippo Carosella, Filippo Marcovecchio and Alfonso Saulino along with wife Angela Maria, lived in Agnone. Of these, Filippo Carosella and Filippo Marcovecchio were contadini, or farmers, while Alfonso Saulino was a shoemaker. For all of them, as...
A Chat with Frank Gallo, Mahoning Valley's Longest Performing Entertainer
April 2018
The recent celebration of Frank Gallo’s 90th birthday reminds us that this local celebrity continues to enrich our Italian American culture with his music and comedy. Born in Western Pennsylvania’s soft coal country, the veteran singer has a...
Alive and Thriving: Italian Radio Programming in the Mahoning Valley
March 2018
It was a weekly rite. Mom would get up early on Sunday to start the sauce, the same ragú that almost all our Italian neighbors were making at that very same hour. The base had pork and beef browned with garlic in the oil. After she added the tomato...
Liberty Township: The 1873 Coal War and the Italians
January 2018
Lo sciopero dei minatori di carbone del 1873 voleva essere una ferma protesta contro i tagli dei già bassi salari nella valle di Mahoning. Sfortunatamente, sebbene si protrasse per otto mesi, non raggiunse mai l’obiettivo desiderato. La pratica,...
The Mahoning Valley Loses a Loyal Son with the Passing of Tony Lariccia
December 2017
A leading light of the Mahoning Valley Italian American community, Anthony “Tony” Lariccia, passed away on Sept. 20, 2017. He is survived by Mary Olinick Lariccia, his wife, and daughters Natalie and Dana. Born in 1945, Tony was the grandson of...
From Indian Territory to the Mahoning Valley: A Story of Italian Immigration
October 2017
Nell’ultimo ventennio del 1800, i Territori Indiani che sarebbero in seguito divenuti lo Stato dell’Oklahoma furono la prima destinazione di molti italiani che emigrarono dall’Italia settentrionale e meridionale in cerca di migliore fortuna negli...