Podcasts about italian american museum

What if the story of Italian Americans in Los Angeles is not what you thought? Join us as we uncover the vibrant and often overlooked contributions of Italian immigrants beyond the spotlight of Hollywood, featuring insights from Cavalieri Marianna Gatto, co-founder and executive director of the Italian American Museum of Los Angeles. Discover the surprising ties between Italian Americans and iconic innovations like the Radio Flyer wagon and Yoo-hoo chocolate beverage, as explored in Marianna's newly released book, "The Italian Americans of Los Angeles: A History." This episode promises a fresh perspective on how Italian culture helped shape Los Angeles, challenging preconceived notions of Italian influence being limited to the East Coast. Explore how the sprawling landscapes and unique climate of Los Angeles offered Italian immigrants a chance to forge their own paths, distinct from the dense urban enclaves of cities like New York and Philadelphia. Marianna shares compelling stories of Italian families who quickly adapted to the West Coast, embracing opportunities while facing familiar struggles. We help dispel myths about Italian presence in Los Angeles, highlighting their robust cultural footprint that existed long before the rise of the entertainment industry. Venture into the complexities of modern Italian American identity in California, from the legacy of Northern Italians in the wine industry to the importance of cultural hubs like Italian parishes in preserving tradition. We delve into the challenges faced by Italian American organizations today and reflect on the role of tight-knit communities in maintaining cultural practices, drawing parallels with other ethnic groups. This episode offers a rich, multifaceted view of Italian American history and identity, promising insights and stories that resonate on both personal and communal levels.    HER SOCIALS Instagram: @gattolosangeles Facebook: Mariana Gatto   LINKS TO BUY THE BOOK https://losangeleslittleitaly.com/ https://www.amazon.com/Italian-Americans-Los-Angeles-History/dp/B0D36GY74Z https://www.barnesandnoble.com/w/the-italian-americans-of-los-angeles-marianna-gatto/1145549694  

Cianne Fragione (b. 1952) is a multidisciplinary artist. With roots in the San Francisco Bay Area Beat and Funk art milieus, she has developed her own process-oriented artistic vocabulary over the past four decades that crosses boundaries between abstract painting and sculpture, and between object and image. A striking combination of oil paint, mixed-media materials, found objects, and textiles characterizes her signature style. Each piece, whether two- or three-dimensional, is built slowly over lengthy periods, becoming a dense synthesis of influences and personal perspectives, including mid-century gestural abstraction and the physical fluency of her early training as a professional dancer. While a sense of space and movement dominates her two-dimensional works, her assemblage pieces tend to be denser and more corporeal. Her most recent works respond to two collections of poems by Italian poet and writer Eugenio Montale: Mediterraneo and Ossi di Seppia.   Fragione has exhibited extensively in solo and group exhibitions nationally and internationally, including at St. Mary's College Museum of Art, Moraga, CA; Georgetown College, KY; Anya and Andrew Shiva Gallery, New York, NY; American University Museum, Washington, D.C.; John D. Calandra Italian American Institute of Queens College, CUNY, New York, NY; Associazione di Museo D'Arte Contemporaneo Italiano, Catanzaro, Italy; Harmony Hall Regional Center, Washington, MD; University of Scranton Art Museum, Scranton, PA; The Textile Museum, Washington, D.C.; Art in Embassies, Geneva, Sofia, Bulgaria, and Vilnius, Lithuania; Indianapolis Art Center, IN; and San Francisco Museum of Modern Art Gallery, CA.   Her works are held in numerous public collections, including the Baltimore Museum of Art MD; DC Commission Art Bank Collection; Art in Embassies Permanent Collection, U.S. State Department, Guadalajara, Mexico; St. Mary's College Museum of Art, CA; Italian American Museum, D.C; Department of Special Collections, Cecil H. Green Library, Stanford University, CA; Comune di Monasterace, Calabria, IT; among other museum and private collections.   Motetti: Flowers Grow/ Salty Breath, 2024, oil-based paint, pigment, walnut and black ink, graphite, oil pencils,on paper, 42.5 x 35 in (107.95 x 88.9 cm), Image by Martin Seck Bundles: Seacoasts / Among Fragrances / Winds / Decoy, 2024, oil-based paint, pigment, string, lace, fishing lures, and bone on canvas panel, 8 x 5 x 2 in (20.3 x 12.7 x 5.1 cm), Image by Martin Seck The Clouds Travel like White Handkerchiefs of Goodbye, 2020 oil-based pigment, collage, graphite, on mylar 54 x 65 in (137.16 x 165.1 cm) Image by Martin Seck  

Our guest in this episode is Marianna Gatto, executive director of the Italian American Museum of Los Angeles, an institution that she co-founded. This was a very interesting chat for us, Marianna told us many fascinating details about the history of Italian immigration across the United States. We enjoyed discussing the similarities and differences between the Italian history in the USA and Australia. Despite living in different countries we can absolutely feel a connection through our shared Italian heritage and we were inspired to hear of Marianna's work, not just through the museum but also in her book that she has recently published- "The Italian Americans of Los Angeles" To find out more about Marianna or to purchase a copy of her book follow the link below: Marianna Gatto - Historian of Los Angeles' Italian community, author, educator and director of the Italian American Museum of Los Angeles Music featured in this episode is by the incredibly talented Melbourne based musician Michael Cristiano. These tracks are from his recent album 'Mai Finira' Web: www.michaelcristiano.com Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/themichaelcristiano Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/themichaelcristiano Spotify:⁠⁠ Mai Finirà - Album by Michael Cristiano | Spotify⁠⁠ Apple Music: https://music.apple.com/au/artist/michael-cristiano/923321690

Join us for an engaging episode as we welcome esteemed editors Stanislao Pugliese and William Connell to explore the evolving field of Italian American studies. Listen in as we trace the academic journey of this discipline, which has grown from an overlooked orphan to a respected and interdisciplinary field. With contributions from scholars worldwide, we discuss the significance of attracting interest from non Italian Americans and the importance of Italian translations to foster cultural understanding between Italian Americans and their counterparts in Italy. Discover the remarkable impact of Italian heritage and studies at Seton Hall University, supported by generous benefactors like Mr. Valente. Learn about the establishment of an Italian studies chair and a comprehensive Italian library boasting 50,000 books, including a rare 1541 manuscript proposing radical church reforms. This chapter highlights the significance of supporting academic institutions and preserving historical texts, with a special acknowledgment from the Pope underscoring the global importance of such discoveries. Finally, explore the intricate process of cataloging and preserving Italian American memorabilia, the efforts of the Italian American Museum, and the rich cultural heritage of Italian Americans. Hear personal narratives, the challenges of maintaining traditions, and the efforts by organizations to promote Italian American literature. We also touch on significant academic projects and the role of Italian feast bands in keeping cultural traditions alive. This episode beautifully encapsulates the theme of exile and migration, drawing parallels to historical events and celebrating a century of cultural preservation. --- Support this podcast: https://podcasters.spotify.com/pod/show/italianamerican/support

Welcome back to ARTMATTERS: The Podcast for Artists. On today's episode I get a whirlwind tour of the techniques, recipes and studio practices, of the spectacular Cianne Fragione. This conversation will be a two-parter, and will be concluded next episode. Today, in part one, we discuss making your own paints, why lead white is such a fantastic color, chaos vs organization, Cianne's warm-up books, adhesives, “the shake test”, prepping surfaces, rhythm, paper, and the joy of destruction. Cianne also speaks extensively on the making of her massive 24-part painting entitled Heaven and Earth are Dressed in Their Summer Wear, completed in 2012.Cianne Fragione was born in 1952 and currently lives and works in Washington D.C. She has developed her process-oriented work over five decades, crossing boundaries between abstract painting and sculpture, object, and image. She has exhibited extensively in solo and group exhibitions at national and international venues and has been the recipient of many awards, fellowships, and residencies, including the Milton and Sally Avery Arts Fellowship and The Legacy Project sponsored by the Joan Mitchell Foundation to name just a few. Enjoy the episode!P.S. Cianne and I discuss multiple artworks in her studio which were included in the studio visit photo collection and can be found as a free post on my Patreon page. So feel free to click here and you can look while you listen:)About Cianne Fragione:Cianne Fragione b. 1952 (Hartford, CT)  Cianne Fragione, a Washington D.C., D.C.-based artist, has developed process-oriented work for five decades, crossing boundaries between abstract painting and sculpture, object, and image. She has exhibited extensively in solo and group exhibitions at national and international venues including, Isole: A Voyage Among My Dreams (2024-25) St. Mary's College Museum of Art, Moraga, CA; traveling exhibitions, Pocket Full of Promise: Cecelia Coker Bell Gallery, Coker College, Hartsville, SC, and Anne Wright Wilson Gallery, Georgetown College, KY; Wiregrass Museum Biennial 24, Dothan, AL.; Arts-In-Embassies, Geneva, Switzerland; Anya and Andrew Shiva Gallery, New York, NY; American University Museum, Washington, D.C.; Regis College Fine art Center, Weston, MA; John D. Calandra Italian American Institute of Queens College, CUNY, New York, NY; Associazione di Museo D'Arte Contemporaneo Italiano, Catanzaro, Italy;  a ten-year retrospective at Harmony Hall Regional Center, Washington, MD;  the University of Scranton Art Museum, Scranton, PA; The Textile Museum, Washington, D.C.; Art in Embassies, Sofia, Bulgaria, and Vilnius, Lithuania; Elizabeth Foundation, New York, NY; Indianapolis Art Center, IN; San Francisco Museum of Modern Art Gallery, CA; and Gallery Neptune & Brown, Washington, D.C. Her works are held in public collections, recent acquisitions; the Baltimore Museum of Art MD; and DC Commission Art Bank Collection (also in 2017), Art-In-Embassies Permanent Collection, Guadalajara, Mexico, US State Department; as well as St. Mary's College Museum of Art, CA; Italian American Museum, D.C; Department of Special Collections, Cecil H. Green Library, Stanford University, CA; and Comune di Monasterace, Calabria, IT; among others and private collections. Fragione has been the recipient of awards, fellowships, and residencies, Art Omi receiving the Milton and Sally Avery Arts Fellowship; The Legacy Project (Saving the Legacy) sponsored by Joan Mitchell Foundation; Studio dei Nipoti artist residency, Monasterace, Italy; Soaring Gardens, Laceyville, PA; Spoleto Study Aboard in Spoleto, Italy; and an Artist-in-Institution grants, project of the California Arts Council. Sacramento CA. She was nominated for the Joan Mitchell

Please welcome to our show one of the most dynamic jazz performers of our time, Lena Prima, daughter of jazz great Louis Prima, who has clearly carved out a name for herself in New Orleans and around the globe for her electrifying stage performances and albums. I grew up with Louis Prima's music playing in our Italian household. My parents, aunts, and uncles would dance to his music late into the evening on many weekends. So I was thrilled to meet Lena at the Italian American Museum in LA where she performed a few months ago, celebrating the Louis Prima exhibit currently on display there. Lena is a one-of-a-kind of jazz singer and performer, much like her dad. Her energy is the kind that comes around once in a generation, and watching her perform with her band, I can only imagine what it was like for her on stage with her dad when she was a kid. Sadly, Louis Prima died when Lena was 11, complications from a benign brain tumor. But everything about him in those eleven years made a permanent impression on Lena to this day. Lena grew up in Vegas but frequented New Orleans where her dad grew up. And her mom, Gia Malone, was also a singer and performer. Lena started her career in rock, but got the calling to perform jazz, and eventually plant roots in New Orleans, where she performs to this day. There's a lot to talk about with Lena. Please join our conversation on all video and audio platforms of my #LittleItalyPodcast, #LittleItalyOfLAPodcast, & #DeborahKobyltLIVE. I'm your host, #DeborahZaraKobylt, and I thank you for being here. Please invite your friends, too! We're so excited to have Lena Prima joining us

  The Italian American Museum, is set for a grand reopening of a brand new facility this spring in its new home in where … Read More

Talking with Marianna Gatto, Executive Director of the Italian American Museum of Los Angeles. IAMLA Recorded: November 7, 2023 Running Time: 42 minutes 50 seconds

Talking with Marianna Gatto, Executive Director of the Italian American Museum of Los Angeles. IAMLA Recorded: November 7, 2023 Running Time: 42 minutes 50 seconds

Come back to the table for Part 2, as we throwback to the old “Italian American Power Hour” days, with the second half of a conversation already earning rave reviews! Pat, John, and Rossella are joined by longtime friend Marianna Gatto (Executive Director and Co-FoundRESS of the Italian American Museum of Los Angeles) for a freewheeling conversation about all things #ItalianAmerican! Recorded LIVE & UNCUT at the 46th Biennial National Convention of the Italian Sons and Daughters of America (ISDA), in #Pittsburgh PA, it's a conversation that only gets better in this second half! Jump back into the conversation as Marianna asks why the “New York/New Jersey image” dominates popular perceptions of Italian Americana, and whether this mass-media projection gives other Italian American communities an identity complex. We're also discussing the benefits and distinct cultures born of intermarriage between Italians and other American ethnic groups, and what benefits this might present for the future of the Italian American culture We ponder why our sense of identity is so distinct from the rest of the Italian communities living throughout the global diaspora, including the unique circumstances separating the Italian experience in Anglophonic America and those encountered by communities that formed in Latin America. As talk turns to beloved Italian traditions, we examine why the “cookie table” remains a staple of so many Italian American communities while it has nearly completely disappeared in others. And, are the cookie table and the football wedding set to make serious comebacks? It's an episode filled with the history, heritage, and hilarity you've come to love from the Italian American Podcast!  --- Support this podcast: https://podcasters.spotify.com/pod/show/italianamerican/support

Taste of Italy is back! Join us in DTLA on Sept. 23 for THE premiere Italian Food and Wine event in Los Angeles, featuring award-winning restaurants & wineries, fantastic LIVE entertainment, and some celeb guests, too! This is on of my favorite events in LA all year! Today, we speak with Taste of Italy creator and founder of the Italian American Museum of Los Angeles, Marianna Gatto, telling us all about this upscale food and wine tasting event, which also benefits arts and educational programming for youth at #IAMLA. According to Marianna, #TasteOfItaly provides an opportunity to connect with some of SoCal's most interesting, well-traveled, cross-cultural audiences, including philanthropists, celebs, influencers, and dignitaries. Not to mention some of the top restaurants and award-winning wines in the world. Tickets available at IAMLA.org Please find our full interview with Marianna on all #LittleItalyPodcast, #LittleItalyOfLAPodcast, & #DeborahKobyltLIVE video and audio platforms. And please invite your friends, too. Looking forward to chatting with my friend, and talking all about this magnificent event that bring the entire city a little closer

When celebrating #ItalianHeritageMonth, I enjoy highlighting the rich cultural heritage and history of the Italian and Italian American people, particularly art, music, literature, architecture, and of course the stories surrounding them.Today we interview Mariana Gatto, creator of the Italian American Museum of Los Angeles, located near Olivera St. in DTLA, housed inside the oldest remaining structure in the area, built in 1908. It's a treasure, complete with an original speak easy door from the prohibition days.The #IAMLA is a gem, packed with stories of the Italian American journey to this country, complete with in depth stories and research into each exhibit. There are revolving exhibits, such as the one about women's needlework from the Italian diaspora, called, Woven Lives. Next month, the Pinocchio exhibit, A Real Boy: The Story of Pinocchio, which is sure to be a hit, as this story has been told to generations and still enthralls young and old.There's a new interactive app, too, featuring some of your favorite Italians telling their stories. Mariana talks anout her vision, how she created this gem of a museum, we talk about her life growing up Italian in Los Angeles, and so much more.Please join us on #DeborahKobyltLIVE and #LittleItalyPodcast on all video and audio platforms, and invite your friends, Italian or not. This story is for everyone. Thanks for tuning in

When celebrating #ItalianHeritageMonth, I enjoy highlighting the rich cultural heritage and history of the Italian and Italian American people, particularly art, music, literature, architecture, and of course the stories surrounding them. Today we interview Mariana Gatto, creator of the Italian American Museum of Los Angeles, located near Olivera St. in DTLA, housed inside the oldest remaining structure in the area, built in 1908. It's a treasure, complete with an original speak easy door from the prohibition days. The #IAMLA is a gem, packed with stories of the Italian American journey to this country, complete with in depth stories and research into each exhibit. There are revolving exhibits, such as the one about women's needlework from the Italian diaspora, called, Woven Lives. Next month, the Pinocchio exhibit, A Real Boy: The Story of Pinocchio, which is sure to be a hit, as this story has been told to generations and still enthralls young and old. There's a new interactive app, too, featuring some of your favorite Italians telling their stories. Mariana talks anout her vision, how she created this gem of a museum, we talk about her life growing up Italian in Los Angeles, and so much more. Please join us on #DeborahKobyltLIVE and #LittleItalyPodcast on all video and audio platforms, and invite your friends, Italian or not. This story is for everyone. Thanks for tuning in

K.T. McFarland, Former Trump Deputy National Security Advisor and the author of "Revolution: Trump, Washington and 'We The People'” Topic: Biden-Xi virtual summit recap Joseph Scelsa, Founder and President of the Italian American Museum in New York City on Mulberry St. Topic: Gov. Hochul fires Italian Affairs Director Dolores Alfieri See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Imagine a place where you could go and spend the day surrounded by the art and artifacts of the Italian American experience, where you can immerse yourself in our story, and learn new and surprising facts about the history of Italians in America… all free of charge! Well, if you're lucky enough to live near or visit Los Angeles, California, this Italian American dream has been a reality since 2015, when the Italian American Museum of Los Angeles (IAMLA) opened its doors in the historic Italian Hall of Downtown LA. Thanks to the hard work and dedication of countless Italian Americans, and the leadership of our guest, IAMLA co-founder and executive director Marianna Gatto, the City of Angels is not just home to the nation's fifth-largest Italian American population, but also to one of its finest and foremost museums dedicated to studying and sharing the Italian American experience. We sit down with Marianna for this special Italian American Heritage Month episode to hear the story of how the IAMLA came to be, what aspects of the Italian American story it seeks to share, and why in just a few short years it has become a destination for hundreds of thousands of Italians and Italian Americans not just from Los Angeles, but from around the world. We'll examine what it means to preserve the material culture of Italian America, explore the other Italian American museums working to preserve our history around the nation, and ponder whether future generations might see the birth of a truly national Italian American Museum. It's a long overdue return to recording in-person, with a guest who is a true friend. If you know the Italian American Podcast, you know this is going to be an episode filled with interesting conversation, curious tangents, and a whole lot of infectious laughter, so we're confident it's one you won't want to miss! This episode was sponsored by Mediaset Italia.

Join Bob as he interviews Dr. Joseph Scelsa the founder and president of the Italian-American Museum to be completed in Oct 2021. Professor Joseph V. Scelsa, (a Bronx native) received his doctorate in Sociology and Education from Columbia University Teachers College, his dissertation topic being “Constructive Pluralism”. In addition, he holds three Masters’ degrees in Sociology, Social Studies and Counseling. He is a licensed Mental Health Counselor in New York State.In 1984, Prof. Scelsa was appointed Director of the Italian American Institute of The City University of New York which was renamed the John D. Calandra Italian American Institute after the late State Senator John D. Calandra in 1987. On March 1, 1999, Prof. Scelsa was named Dean of the Calandra Italian American Institute and elevated to Full Professor. In October 2000, Dr. Scelsa was named acting Vice President for Institutional Development at Queens College, CUNY and on July 1, 2005, he was appointed Vice President for Outreach and Cultural Affairs at Queens College, CUNY. Prof. Scelsa as Dean of the Calandra Institute created and served is Executive Producer and Host of ITALICS: The Italian-American Magazine which is co-produced by the Calandra Institute and CUNY-TV; seen on cable stations throughout the United States. In 2001, Prof. Scelsa founded the Italian American Museum and currently serves as its president.Prof. Scelsa has authored and edited several books and has written various articles and reports on ethnicity, pluralism and education, notable the report on the Italian-American High School Student Drop-Out Rate in the New York City Schools (New York Times, May 1, 1990). In 1997, Prof. Scelsa contributed an essay entitled, “The 80thStreet Mafia”in Beyond the Godfatherpublished by the National Italian American Foundation. Prof. Scelsa was the historical consultant for A&E’s documentary, The Italians in America. Prof. Scelsa is considered an expert in Italian-American affairs; he teaches and lectures extensively in Italian-Americans Studies and specializes in Italian-Americans and Civil Rights. Italian Marketplace LLC Online tee shirts, hoodies and more for ItaliansSupport the show (https://www.patreon.com/bePatron?u=30519446)

Joseph Cavalieri is an award-winning native New York artist and educator. His work can be seen in the permanent collection of the Museum of Arts and Design, the Leslie-Lohman Museum, the Italian American Museum, and the Stax Museum. He has exhibited in the US and Europe, most recently a solo show at the Ivy Brown Gallery in Chelsea, New York. Cavalieri has produced private and public art commissions including an MTA Arts for Transit public art installation at the Philipse Manor Train Station in Westchester, New York. Cavalieri works in a material with a powerful spiritual history: painted stained glass. Since 1997, he has taught workshops around the world, and has been invited to over 12 artist residencies. In 2015, he was the keynote speaker for the Glass Society of Ireland and NCAD Glass Conference.Cavalieri's aim is to merge contemporary imagery with the time-honored processes of painted stained glass, a material with a powerful spiritual history. His work is based of historic fables, contemporary pop art and human and architectural icons.

Joseph Cavalieri is an award-winning native New York artist and educator. His work can be seen in the permanent collection of the Museum of Arts and Design, the Leslie-Lohman Museum, the Italian American Museum, and the Stax Museum. He has exhibited in the US and Europe, most recently a solo show at the Ivy Brown Gallery in Chelsea, New York. Cavalieri has produced private and public art commissions including an MTA Arts for Transit public art installation at the Philipse Manor Train Station in Westchester, New York. Cavalieri works in a material with a powerful spiritual history: painted stained glass. Since 1997, he has taught workshops around the world, and has been invited to over 12 artist residencies. In 2015, he was the keynote speaker for the Glass Society of Ireland and NCAD Glass Conference. Cavalieri's aim is to merge contemporary imagery with the time-honored processes of painted stained glass, a material with a powerful spiritual history. His work is based of historic fables, contemporary pop art and human and architectural icons.

Joseph Cavalieri’s merging of contemporary imagery with the traditional processes of painted stained glass has resulted in a highly recognizable and unforgettable body of work. Using an art form with a powerful spiritual history, the artist pays homage to historic fables, contemporary pop art, and human and architectural icons in autonomous panels that often combine detailed narrative and humor. Cavalieri’s 2017 solo show at the Ivy Brown Gallery, in Chelsea, NewYork, featured 15 new works portraying personalities such as San Gennaro, Jackie O, Helen Hayes, and a young Ulysses S. Grant, as well as architectural landmarks like the Flat Iron building and the Dakota. His work is part of permanent New York City collections such as that of the Museum of Arts and Design; the Italian American Museum; and the Leslie-Lohman Museum. Cavalieri’s collectors include two Simpson’s writers in Los Angeles, California, and movie director Morgan Spurlock. In addition to work for gallery exhibitions, Cavalieri creates both private and public commissions. He was selected by The Metropolitan Transportation Authority (MTA) Arts for Transit department to design a public art installation at the Philipse Manor Train Station in Westchester, New York. Additionally, in October and November 2017, the artist fabricated and installed a six-foot stained glass church window during a two-month residency in Salvador, Brazil. In the last 10 years, Cavalieri has been awarded 15 different art residency programs around the world. A native New York artist and educator, Cavalieri has taught painting, airbrushing, and printing on stained glass in over 30 different locations including the Corning Museum of Glass, Corning, New York; Penland School of Crafts, Spruce Pine, North Carolina; and UrbanGlass in Brooklyn, New York. The artist also teaches internationally, including workshops at Lourdes Zenobi Glass Art in Buenos Aires, Argentina, and Delhi College of the Arts, India. In 2015 he was invited to be the keynote speaker for the Glass Society of Ireland and National College of Art and Design.  

This week we are joined by the founder of the Italian American Museum, Dr. Joseph Scelsca. We have a very frank but funny conversation about the trials of Italian immigrants and their portrayal in the media. Even though we expected our guest to "clam up" about certain current events, he has a lot to say on the Hollywood / Weinstein scandal as well as the #terror attack that took place in Lower Manhattan Also on the show is Modi, Wil Sylvince, Hatem Gabr, and Noam Dworman

In this episode, we interview literary and journalistic icon Gay Talese. Talese is a bestselling author who has written eleven books. He was a reporter for the New York Times from 1956 to 1965, and since then he has written for the Times, Esquire, The New Yorker, Harper's Magazine, and other national publications. In this first part of a two-part interview, Talese gives a perspective of an Italian American who lived at a time when it wasn’t cool to be Italian American. We also interview Umberto Mucci of WeTheItalians.com in the Italian American Stories Segment of this episode. Mucci has built up a wonderful resource for Italian Americans online and also represents The Italian American Museum of New York in Italy. Episode Sponsors The National Italian American Foundation Select Italy

In this episode of The Italian American Podcast, we visit the Italian American Museum in Little Italy, New York City. Founder and Director Dr. Joseph V. Scelsa, Ph.D. talks about what Italian immigrants went through and how he is trying to recreate that experience so our generation can experience it. Also, my grandmother will end the episode with a touching story of how her father got lost on his first day of a new job in New York. Episode Guest: Dr. Joseph Scelsa, Ph.D. is the President and Chief Executive Officer of the Italian American Museum in the heart of New York City's historic Little Italy. Dr. Scelsa is a fountain of knowledge about Italian and Italian American history and a leader in sharing this knowledge with the world. However, his impressive academic background is not confined to the study of the Italian American experience. Dr. Scelsa estimates that about as many non-Italian-Americans as Italian-Americans have come to the museum and enjoyed it immensely, which he thinks is wonderful. He explains, "People want to be able to be in touch with their past. And even if it's not their past, so many people are entering, learning about other people's past, seeing what America was like before. The more we understand ourselves, the more we understand each other."

Bobby speaks with Dr. Joseph V. Scelsa, founder and president of the Italian American Museum located on Mulberry Street at the heart of Manhattan’s Little Italy. The consummate academic, Dr. Scelsa has many degrees and distinctions – a doctorate in sociology and education from Columbia, plus a long career as director of the Italian American Institute developing a variety of courses for the City University of New York. The museum is host to numerous exhibitions. For more information please call (212) 965-9000 or visit www.ItalianAmericanMuseum.org.

Salvadore Serio is the Vice President of the American Italian Renaissance Foundation which operates the Italian American Museum.The Museum showcases famous New Orleans Italians including one of New Orleans' most beloved sons, musician Louis Prima. March 19 is Saint Joseph's Day and Salvadore explains the old Italian tradition of Saint Joseph's Alters. He talks about the origin of the tradition and everyone's favorite good luck token, the "Italian Lucky Bean."