A further exchange of opinions between the two scholars

The announcement below appears on a regular basis (annually at the very least) in the NY Times and is to include Italian Americans, a group designated a “protected class” back in 1976. It appeared this Sunday (February 27, 2022) in the section, “Sunday Review,” page 6: As you can see...

Given all the annual galas on the local, regional, and national levels, why is it that intellectuals like Robert Viscusi are never celebrated? Why is it that, at best, a popular filmmaker or a novelist may be recognized, but never the hard-core intellectual whose work — creative, critical essays, and/or...

It is with great sadness that we mark the death of Professor Gerald Meyer of Hostos Community College, the City University of New York. Professor Meyer’s varied research has resulted in almost one hundred articles and books elucidating various aspects of Italian America and working-class history as well as the...

Why is it that intellectuals like Robert Viscusi are never celebrated? Why is it that, at best, a popular filmmaker or a novelist may be recognized, but never the hardcore intellectual whose work—creative, critical essays, and/or translations—has had an indelible impact on the thinking about the history of Italian Americans?

Although the issue of public monuments has been thoroughly examined in the wake of the recent anti-racism protests, the case of Indro Montanelli--and specifically of the defense of his statue in a park in Milan--bears a closer look. The unmitigated arrogance, hubris, and smugness with which Montanelli himself addressed the...

Professor and Executive Officer for the Wolfe Institute for Humanities at Brooklyn College, Viscusi wrote many books and we shall surely remember especially his award-winning novel, "Astoria" (1994), and his critical magnum opus, "Buried Caesars and Other Secrets of Italian American Writing" (2006), considered by some to be “the best...

The New York Times opens its obituary of Danny Aiello as follows (December 13, 2019): “A memorable character actor on both stage and screen, Mr. Aiello won an Academy Award nomination for his role in Spike Lee’s 1989 film.” A “memorable” actor worthy of “an Academy Award nomination,” for sure....

We, at the John D. Calandra Italian American Institute and at La Voce di New York, deeply mourn the unexpected passing of Francesco Durante, journalist, essayist, literary historian, translator, editor and cultural broker. Francesco passed away earlier today on his island home of Capri at 66 years of age. A most adroit...