Calendar

Sponsored by The Italian Cultural Center at Casa Italia, the National Italian American Foundation, the Illinois Humanities Council, The Italian American Executives of Transportation, Leonard Amari and Freddy’s Pizza

What’s the story? Many excellent writings about Chicago Italians have appeared in the last 40 years, but have lacked impact because they have not been drawn together in one place to create a comprehensive narrative. This conference will bring all the authors together to evaluate the old writings in light of new technology and new ways of looking at society. The conference will use a single-session format in which all program presenters get to hear (and comment on) all presentations. Using video recordings and written submissions, we will capture the proceedings and publish them digitally and as hardcopy. The goal is to produce a new anthology that will serve at the essential contemporary basic source on the topic of Italians in Chicago.

Among the authors who are expected to do presentations are: Michael Antonucci (Chicago Literature), Tony Ardizzone (Indiana University), Peter L.Belmonte (World War II), Kathy Catrambone (Taylor St. Italians), Bill Dal Cerro (Educator-journalist), Fr. Gino Dalpiaz (CS), Giuseppe DeBartelo, Demographer–U of Calabria, Annette Dixon (Chicago writer), Fred L. Gardaphé (Distinguished Prof. Italian American Studies Queens College), Jenny Floro-Khalaf (genealogist web master), Calogero Lombardo (Sicilian American novelist), Billy Lombardo (poet/novelist), Robert Lombardo (Loyola University Criminologist), Ernesto Milani (Cuggiono–biographer of Rosa Cassettari), Gary Mormino (U of South Florida), Gloria Nardini (UIC author on IA Women’s Club), Dan Niemiec (Fra Noi genealogy columnist), Peter Pero (Italians in the labor movement), Tony Romano (poet/novelist), Rose Ann Rabiola Miele (publicist and broadcaster), Judy Santacaterina (NIU Media), Peter Venturelli (Valparaiso U sociologist).