Summary: Click on
the link to view the complete article.
NOTE: May open in new window and leave The
History Box.com's Website
Intro:
I have dedicated this section to the Italian
American people for their passion in preserving their traditions and
culture and to past /present residents of Italian Harlem.
(East Harlem) Despite
their struggles and despair, living in horrendous conditions
of tenement living amid the crime, filth and disease, the early
Italian immigrant worked extremely hard overcoming their
obstacles of discrimination, illiteracy and poverty giving place to
a new image of productive and successful Italian American citizens.
The Italian National Anthem
These are the dedicated
individuals to whom we have to be thankful for, who
are keeping the memories of the old neighborhood and
traditions alive of the Italian American people in
East Harlem.
Miriam Medina
Miriam Medina, is the founder of the
thehistorybox.com and author of the "Mimi
Speaks Blogspot". She was born and raised in
East Harlem (known then as Italian Harlem)
and lived at 1791 Lexington Avenue between
111th and 112th street. Having nieces and
nephews of Italian descent, Miriam has
dedicated this section to the Italian
American people for their passion in
preserving their traditions and culture.
Read her memoir of the old neighborhood on
the Neighborhood page. She is an active
member of the following societies: The New
York Historical Society, Urban History
Association, American Association for State
and Local History, the National Law Center
On Homelessness and Poverty, the National
Council for History Education ,The
Foundation For the National Archives ,
National Associate Member of the Smithsonian
Institute, Member of the National Italian
American Foundation , American Italian
Historical Association Associate Member of
the American Translators Association and
Diamond Level Expert Author at EzineArticles.com.
One other major
accomplishment to which we must give credit
to Miriam Medina is the current inter-relationship
between Brusciano, Italy and the Italian
community of Italian Harlem.
For two years Miriam who is a
member of the NIAF and the American Italian
Historical Association has been communicating
with Dr. Antonio Castaldo, who is Head of
the Brusciano Press Office in Italy,
exchanging news between both countries and
translating for free the Italian Press
Releases into English, so that the
descendants of Brusciano, Italy who are here
in America can keep in touch with their
roots. There is a separate section for
these press releases, see below the "Brusciano,
Italy News/Events page. Her memories of the
Old Neighborhood is her drive, her passion
to keep alive this web page on Italian
Harlem.
Section:
Al Guerra
Forty-three
year old , Italian American first
generation, Al Guerra, grew up in East
Harlem, who followed the feast every summer.
Although He currently lives in Florida with
his wife and three children, he still
travels to East Harlem every year for the
Feast. Al Guerra has managed to put together
a fascinating website about the Feast of Mt.
Carmel .This is a wonderful website
dedicated to the people who helped make this
great festive tradition possible. This
website portrays a yearly tradition that has
been in existence among the Italian
Immigrants since 1881 and will continue to
exist even into the future. Lots of research
, photos and valuable historical information
has been invested by its webmaster in the
preparation of this website. A definite must
see. Please visit their photo gallery for
pictures of the feast.
Bobby Maida
Another
important website which I would like to
mention that is dedicated to Italian
Traditions, the Giglio di San Antonio in
East Harlem, which is an Italian Festa in
continium since the early 19th century. Bob
Maida, who is an active member and
photographer of the East Harlem Giglio
Society has done a fantastic job of
providing pictures, current as well as
historical which can be viewed by the
public. Bobby is a man with a positive
vision. He is the force behind the spirit in
promoting the Feast of the Giglio. Here is the link to the Giglio
Society of East Harlem.
Photo Gallery
Thank you Bobby.
Visit
Bobby's East Harlem Website, a
fantastic worthwhile learning experience of
visual arts and information.
Angela Bella Puco
Angela Bella Puco is a very special and
hard working woman. Although she is a mother
of 3 young children, she still has
managed to find time in her whirlwind of
madness to create 4 wonderful websites that
are rich with family as well as the old
neighborhood history. I would like to use
Angela's own words to explain her vision and
her passion for Italian Harlem.
"I'll have
to admit that I spent many a late night, and
many a late morning working on this passion
of mine. Sometimes the laundry didn't get
done on time, and I missed beautiful days
outdoors, but it was all worth it for me. I
never tire of it. I enjoy family history
research, photographic preservation and
restoration-anything connected to
photography. I have a large collection of
out of print books related to immigration
history and urban development. Many books,
if not all, on East Harlem as well as a
large ephemera collection. I gave Chris Bell
a half dozen photos of me and my family to
put in his latest photo book about East
Harlem. I am trying to organize my thoughts
so that I can write my own book on the
Italians of East Harlem.
The current project that I am working on
is a podcast format. I just have to figure
out exactly how I am going to do this. I
would love to have a "radio hour" of sorts,
whereby I converse with a person who once
lived in the old neighborhood. I can add
background music, and a theme of the
day-type of approach. The first person that
I am going to interview is my dad, of
course! He is 87 yrs young and his mind is
chock-full of memories of his youthful days
in East Harlem. "
"I'm babbling...I could go on and on
about this subject." SEE WHAT I
MEAN? HER ENERGY IS UNBELIEVABLE.
Charles
DeMonte was born in East Harlem, New York.
Known and loved by all his friends from the
old neighborhood, as Charlie D, he has
developed a fantastic site in such a short
period of time that has been overwhelmed
with past and present residents
visiting and talking about the good old days
in East Harlem., once known as "Italian
Harlem." Through Charlie's website "The
Old Neighborhood Online" he has
enabled people to reconnect with each other
on a daily basis. Charlie expresses his
thanks to the Giglio Boys and the East
Harlem Reunions for revitalizing the spirit
of East Harlem. Thanks Charlie for the
memories. M.M.
Phil Bruno
Phil Bruno
was born in East Harlem. He is originally
from 106th Street, where the first Giglio
feast was celebrated in 1908 or 1909. His
great grandfather was Francisco Vivolo from
Brusciano, Italy who prayed to Sant'Antonio
to help heal his deathly ill son. Vivolo
promised Saint Anthony if his prayer should
be answered that he would have a Gigli
contructed in his honor and dance it in the
streets of Brusciano, in the same manner as
the town's people of Nola, Italy honored San
Paolino di Nola. Vivolo's prayers were
answered, and thus the dancing of the Gigli
in Brusciano was launched.
Phil Bruno is an
active member of The Sons of San Paolino di
Nola, The Giglio Society of East Harlem and
Our lady of Mount Carmel Holy Name Society.
This article was Published in
the April 7, 2011 edition of the Italian Tribune
By
Miriam B. Medina
Italian Harlem? You could say it was a
helluva neighborhood. Previously known as
the "Little Italy of East Harlem”, it was
located between 104th and 119th streets,
from Third Avenue to the East River. It once
teemed with Italian immigrants running
businesses. It was a small village within a
big city.
Many Italian immigrants escaping poverty
moved to East Harlem. A large number of
southern Italians that arrived in NYC during
the last quarter of the 19th century also
established communities in East Harlem. By
the 1930's, it was the largest Italian
village in the city.
Life in Italian Harlem during the thirties
and forties was filled with tight knit
communities and caring neighbors. Courageous
Italians, despite discrimination, hardships
and suffering, adapted themselves to their
new environment, promoted and celebrated
their culture and religious feasts, customs
that were handed down through the
generations by their immigrant ancestors who
were once the mainstay of civilization in
the neighborhood. It was a neighborhood
where lasting relationships were
continuously formed. So strong was this
sense of neighborhood that many families and
their descendants would stay there forever.
The advent of the public housing projects
after World War II disrupted the peaceful
life and relationships of thousands of
Italian Harlem residents, demolishing the
tenements which housed them. The separation
became unbearable for many families and
close friends who were torn apart to make
way for progress. Others, benefiting from
the improvement in the American economy,
chose to move from East Harlem to the
suburban areas of New York City.
Although many former residents from Italian
Harlem have passed on, it is their children
and grandchildren that continue to maintain
the memories of the old neighborhood. Anna
Barone, a vivacious woman of strength and
compassion, understood this strong sense of
neighborhood ties, because Italian Harlem
coursed through her roots, as well. Aside
from the Italian community intermingling
with each other at the religious feasts year
after year, Anna Barone strived for
something greater by establishing the East
Harlem Reunion in 2005.
She loved everyone and everyone loved her.
Through the East Harlem Reunion, her vision
to preserve the culture and bonds of
friendship that have been passed down from
one generation to another still lives. It
was extremely important to her to keep the
magic of friendship alive.
Anna Barone not only wanted these reunions
to be happy ones, filled with laughter, hugs
and kisses, amidst the wonderful sense of
food, drink and superb music, she also
wanted the younger generation to share in
those memories, as well. Sadly, Anna Barone,
passed away last year, leaving behind a
terrible void within the Italian Community.
Although Anna Barone will not be present,
her spirit and all that she represented will
be there, alive and well, celebrating its
heritage.
This year, in honor of Anna Barone, The East
Harlem Reunion will be celebrated on Friday
April 29, at 7:30 PM. Tickets are $90 per
person and include an open bar, appetizers,
entrees and desserts. There will be
delicious food, terrific music and a
ballroom full of East Harlemites. What more
can you want? For more information please
contact Bob Maida at (914) 787-0692.
Read about the
Religious Feasts, of the Italian Community.
You-tubes of the Giglio Feasts in East
Harlem and elsewhere, pictures of the Feast
of Mt. Carmel. A worthwhile page visit
Courtesy of
Bobby Maida-112 and 113 street on first avenue
Photo
Courtesy: Nycgovparks.org
"The popularity of
bocce meant that by the 1950s, bocce courts
had become common features alongside
shuffleboard courts, handball courts, and
horseshoe pits in playgrounds across the
city. By the 1950s, Parks Department counted
bocce as one of the "popular activities that
lure New Yorkers. Bocce is played
predominantly by Italian communities,
especially those in New York. The first
bocce courts in New York City Parks were
established by Mayor La Guardia in 1934 at
Thomas Jefferson Park in Manhattan, in the
middle of what was then a predominantly
Italian neighborhood." (nycgovparks.org)
This was the Salerno Parking
Lot on 111th Street during the 50s. My
brother-in-law Adam Salerno with sunglasses and his
younger brother Frankie.
This was my older brother Micheal in the J.Salerno & Sons Parking Lot on 111th
street, Italian Harlem during the 50s
Courtesy of
Bobby Maida-113th street and first avenue
Courtesy of
Bobby Maida: 113th street and First NW corner
This has been a
very time-consuming ongoing research project
which I am doing for the benefit of the
Bruscianese descendants. Please do not copy
lists. You are welcomed to link to these
pages.
Many families from the town of Brusciano,
Italy migrated to East Harlem, NY to start
anew with other families and friends that
came before them. Although these Immigrants
brought little with them on their 30-day
long voyage across the Atlantic Ocean in the
tight confines of the boat, what they did
carry with them were their beloved
traditions. For the people of Brusciano,
this included the yearly Dance of the Giglio
Festival in honor of Sant’Antonio.
Upon their arrival, the Italian immigrants
of East 106th Street in East Harlem decided
to initiate their beloved traditions by
building a Giglio and dancing it in the ‘New
World’. The Festival on 106th Street grew
for many years becoming one of the largest
street fairs in America.
NOTE
Per favore, se
qualcuno avesse un antenato in Brusciano e
il loro nome non è incluso in tali elenchi
di lettere A-G si prega di contattare:
miriam@thehistorybox.com modo che io possa
cercare il loro record di arrivo. Grazie
tanto.
NOTE: Please if anyone had an ancestor in
Brusciano and their name is not included on
these lists of Letters A-G please contact:
miriam@thehistorybox.com so I can search for
their record of arrival. Thank you so much.
"The photos show us things
we would otherwise have to imagine from verbal
descriptions. That's why photos are so important
they tell us so much more than any text does."
Professor Norman Thorpe
Bruscianese Felice
Giannino author of the collection of poems,
songs and memoirs entitled "Land of the
Artists," has passed away. Felice Giannino
was one of the greatest artistic
contributor of lyrics and ballads to the
Feast of the Giglio in Brusciano, Italy.
His were the songs that the festivity
masters would turn to each year.
On August 4, 2010
I received a press release from my
journalist friend Dr. Antonio Castaldo, of
Brusciano, Italy which conveyed greetings
and best wishes to the Feast of the Giglio
of Sant'Antonio in East Harlem, New York
with also a reference to Miriam Medina,
Bobby Maida Phil Bruno, and the entire
Italian Community of East Harlem, from the
Mayor Dr. Angelo Antonio Romano, President
of the Giglio Feast Commission, Nicola Di
Maio and President of City Council, Antonio
Di Palma. I would like to share this press
release with you which I have translated
into English for your benefit..
Press Release: August 4, 2010
"Best wishes are extended
from the Administration and City Council of Brusciano to the Feast of
the Giglio of Sant' Antonio in East Harlem, New York."
Since the commencement of the last
century on the initiative of Bruscianese emigrants was born in New York
in the neighborhood of East Harlem the "Giglio Feast of Sant' Antonio.
Even today, the third and fourth generations born to these undaunted
immigrants practice the Feast of the Giglio along with Brusciano in
memory of their ancestors and of distant Brusciano.
This week, such festive event will
be repeated from August 5-8. To the organizers and the "Giglio Society"
are expressed with this statement best wishes and fraternal greetings on
behalf of the entire Community of Brusciano through Mayor, Dr. Angelo
Antonio Romano, President of the Giglio Feast Commission, Nicola Di Maio,
and President of City Council, Antonio Di Palma.
There are many innovations that
have been coming out in the course of studies, research, professional
contacts and sincere friendship between Antonio Castaldo, sociologist
and journalist, head of the Press Office of the City of Brusciano, and
Miriam Medina researcher and founder of the American history websitehttp://thehistorybox.com/
: Bob Maida webmaster of
www.eastharlemgiglio.com
and Phil Bruno descendant of the Vivolo Family
that immigrated to the United States in the early part of 1900. Just one
member of this family, Rocco Vivolo began circa 100 years ago, the Feast
of the Giglio of Sant' Antonio in East Harlem, New York. Another
historical capoparanza (leader of the lifters) figure in America is that
of Angelo Granata New York 1917-2001) last of nine children of parents
Annunziata and Antonio who left Brusciano in the early part of 1900.
This leader is remembered for his devotion to the saint and for his
technical capacity in managing the ballad of the Giglio of Sant'Antonio
in the Feast of Gigli in America.
The head of the press office,
Antonio Castaldo, informed Mayor Dr. Angelo Antonio Romano, President of
City Council, Antonio Di Palma and the President of the Feast of the
Gigli of Brusciano, Nicola Di Maio of this event suggesting the sending
of an Institutional greeting. This morning August 4, 2010, at the
beginning of the City Council meeting there was a salutation to the
Italian American community celebrating this weekend in New York, with
the Giglio of Sant'Antonio di Padova. Here is the text read by President
Antonio Di Palma:
"GREETINGS AND BEST WISHES ON
BEHALF OF THE CITY COUNCIL
TO THE FEAST OF THE GIGLIO DI SANT' ANTONIO DI PADOVA IN THE USA
TO THE "GIGLIO SOCIETY" AND
TO THE ITALIAN AMERICAN COMMUNITY OF EAST HARLEM.
We express our brotherly greeting
and warm best wishes to the organizers, civil and religious authorities
and to the Italian American Community of East Harlem, New York among
which are many Bruscianese whose ancestors started the Feast of the
Giglio di Sant'Antonio di Padova in America. The pride of historical
affiliation and shared cultural and religious symbols binds us in time
for centuries despite the geographical distance. So with the embrace of
the whole Brusciano Community.
Responsible for this press release:
Dr. Antonio Castaldo Tel. 081.5218249
Fax 081. 5190191 e-mail:
stampa@comune.brusciano.na.it
Letter of acknowledgement from the Mayor
and City Council of Brusciano, Italy .
(Pending English Translation by Miriam Medina)
UFFICIO STAMPA E COMUNICAZIONE DEL COMUNE DI
BRUSCIANO
Responsabile dott. Antonio Castaldo Tel.
081.5218249 Fax 081. 5190191 e-mail:
stampa@comune.brusciano.na.it
Press Release: August
24, 2010
"Best wishes have
been
expressed to the Municipality of Brusciano
for their 135th edition of the Feast of the
Gigli from the American website "www.thehistorybox.com"
by Miriam Medina on behalf of the Giglio
Society of East Harlem, New York.
During
the City Council's last session which was
held on August 4th, Antonio Di Palma,
President of the Council
expressed, on behalf of Mayor Dr. Angelo
Antonio Romano, the municipal
administration, municipal councilors and the
entire Bruscianese community, good wishes
for the Feast of the Giglio of
Sant'Antonio in East Harlem, New York, which
is about one hundred years held at the
initiative of the descendants of the
Bruscianese immigrants in the USA in
partnership with the Italian American
community.
In
today's mail a letter of thanks was received
from Miriam Medina, a researcher of social
history and founder of the website "thehistorybox.com"
which houses among the others, a section
devoted to Italian Americans in East Harlem
and a useful contact with Italy communicated
through the Press Office of the City of
Brusciano.
Here
is the text of the letter:
"To
the Courteous Attention of: Mayor, Dr.
Angelo Antonio Romano; President of City
Council, Antonio Di Palma; President of the
Feast of the Giglio Commission, Nicola Di
Maio; Honourable Members of the
Administration and City Council; Director of
the Press Office; Antonio Castaldo; The
Gigli Association and the entire Community
of Brusciano;
I
would like to express to all of you, on
behalf of myself, Bob Maida, Phil Bruno; the
Giglio Society; the organizers of the Feast
of the Giglio of Sant'Antonio di Padova in
East Harlem, New York; civil and religious
authorities; as well as the entire Italian
community of East Harlem and New York; our
greatest appreciation for your warm
Institutional greeting and good wishes which
you have kindly sent us. We trust that
despite the geographical distance, we will
continue to preserve the pride of historical
affiliation as well as share in cultural and
religious symbols for years to come.
And for the 135th edition of the Feast of
the Gigli of Brusciano we reciprocate the
greeting.
Good wishes to all of you and to the
jubilant Bruscianese Community.
Once again, thank you. Good Feast of the
Gigli at Brusciano.
Founder of the website "thehistorybox.com
Miriam Medina
Mayor,
Dr. Angelo Antonio Romano has expressed "the
most vivid thanks and fraternal greetings
from all of Brusciano to the Italian
American Community and Bruscianese
descendants that have carried in their
hearts the symbols of faith and in the
social and cultural practices the
ancient tradition of the Giglio for
Sant'Antonio di Padova.
UFFICIO STAMPA E COMUNICAZIONE DEL COMUNE DI
BRUSCIANO
Responsabile dott. Antonio Castaldo Tel.
081.5218249 Fax 081. 5190191 e-mail:
stampa@comune.brusciano.na.it
Letter sent to Mayor Dr.
Angelo Antonio Romano and City Council of Brusciano,
Italy from the Giglio Society's Board of Directors
expressing best wishes for their feast of the Gigli
di Sant'Antonio, August 25-31, 2010.
TO THE
COURTEOUS ATTENTION OF:
Sindaco, Angelo Antonio Romano;
Presidente del Consiglio Comunale,
Antonio Di Palma;
Presidente della Commissione Festa del
Giglio, Nicola Di Maio;
Signori Membri dell’Amministrazione e
del Consiglio Comunale;
Responsabile Ufficio Stampa, Antonio
Castaldo;
Associazioni dei Gigli ed Intera
Comunità di Brusciano;
COMUNE DI BRUSCIANO-NAPOLI- ITALIA
The Board of
Directors/Capo Paranzas (Paul DelliCarpini,
Victor Dellicurti, Frank Fazzalari, Peter
Fazzalari, James Nunziata, Dominick Russello,
Thomas Russo, Frank Uvenio, Frank Uvenio Jr
and John Zangaglia) and all the Members of
The Giglio Society of East Harlem wish to
extend our warmest greetings to everyone in
Brusciano. We hope that your upcoming Feast
and the Dancing of the Gigli di Sant'
Antonio August 25-31, 2010 proves to
be a great success for all of you.
As you know, the origin of the Feast of
the Giglio di Sant' Antonio in America can
be traced back to immigrants from Brusciano
who migrated to East 106th Street in East
Harlem in the early 1900's. What they
brought with them to the new country was
their pride and devotion to the Giglio. It
should be noted that the largest Italian
American community in the history of America
was in the East Harlem section of Manhattan.
Many Italians migrated from different parts
of Italy to this neighborhood. Shortly after
the Annual Feasts began, the Italians from
these different parts of Italy also embraced
the Giglio tradition. Today, we can
definitely state that the Feast has
participation from descendents of immigrants
from each and every region in Italy.
We have the same passion, devotion and pride
in Dancing the Giglio di Sant' Antonio today
as did the early immigrants from Bruscian0.
We are very proud to state that we build a
truly authentic Giglio in America from a
size, height, and adornment of the face
perspective. We also build the entire
structure in wood.
We once again wish to extend our warmest
wishes to everyone in Brusciano and would
like to send our most sincerest regards to
everyone in Brusciano.
Raccomando caldamente
questo sito, è assolutamente da vedere.
Potrete fare una valida esperienza educativa
ricca di arte e cultura. Esso contiene un
sacco di foto e di preziose informazioni di
storia e di cultura. I giovani curatori di
questo forum hanno investito tempo ed
energie per trattare i numerosi argomenti.
Un'occasione per tutti i visitatori di
scegliere e partecipare a questo
accattivante forum.
This is a new addition
to my blog "Mimi Speaks" for the benefit of
Italians and Italian Americans. My objective
is to stimulate interest in Italian culture,
arts, traditions and much more. There will
be articles in both languages, music and
other interesting topics that will be
published from time to time for all
visitors. If you have anything you would
like to contribute, please send it to me for
my review.
Become a member and help support the NIAF
defend the Italian American culture and
heritage. Let your voice be heard. Where
there is Unity, there is strength.
.jpg)
the neighborhood of East Harlem the "Giglio Feast of Sant' Antonio.
Even today, the third and fourth generations born to these undaunted
immigrants practice the Feast of the Giglio along with Brusciano in
memory of their ancestors and of distant Brusciano.
