SIAMO UNA FAMIGLIA
CONGRATULATIONS TO PINO CICALA
On November 23, 2013, the Lido Civic Club held its Past Presidents Night at the Capital Hilton, at which time an award was given to AMHS member Pino Cicala. The award was made by J.P. McCusker, President of the National Columbus Celebration Association, and the photo of the award ceremony appeared in the Washington Post on December 1, 2013. Pino was recognized for his many years of promoting the celebration of Columbus Day, including on his AMICO website http://italianamericancommunications.org/. (submitted by Nancy DeSanti)
AMHS WELL REPRESENTED ON THE HOLY ROSARY CHURCH PARISH COUNCIL
Congratulations to AMHS members Silvio Colandreo, Nancy DeSanti, Bruno Fusco and Maria Marigliano who were elected to the Holy Rosary Church Parish Council. Many of you know Nancy and Bruno as past and present members of the AMHS Executive Committee, and Maria as organist and choir director for the Church. It is wonderful to see the four – who actively support the work and activities of AMHS and the Church - appointed to the Council. (submitted by Maria D’Andrea).
IN MEMORY OF A DC LEGEND
Joe Grano, an AMHS member and member of the Board of Directors, passed away suddenly on Sunday, November 24, 2013 at George Washington University Hospital. He was 68. The cause was complications from a stroke. Joe was born in the Bronx, New York; his parents were born near Cosenza, Calabria. Joe graduated from St. John’s University (Queens, NY) with a bachelor’s degree. He also attended St John’s University School of Law, where he received his J.D. After receiving his law degree, Joe moved to Washington, DC. He began work as an attorney with the Board of Veterans Appeals. Presently, he is in solo practice.
He has also taught English as a second language for a number of years. He created his own course called Discover Washington, where he taught American history, government and law to advanced English speakers and then arranged field trips to various sites in Washington, including the White House, the Capitol, the Supreme Court, and the National Gallery of Art. Since 2001, several times a year, he teaches U.S. history, government and law to international auditors and tax planners working for Ernst & Young, who will be working in the U.S. 6 Joe was a “larger than life” figure in the Washington, DC area who fought passionately for causes in which he believed, such as the fight to preserve Rhodes Tavern, built in 1799 and at the time the oldest commercial structure standing in downtown Washington (unfortunately, an unsuccessful fight), DC voting rights and giving the proper recognition to the 19th-century “Artist of the Capitol”, Constantino Brumidi. Brumidi was perhaps Joe’s most fervent and passionate cause.
In 2000, Joe and several individuals interested in the U.S. Capitol Building and Italian art formed The Constantino Brumidi Society. Joe was its chair for 13 years. In 2005, the Society, along with other groups, successfully urged Congress to honor Brumidi, in the Rotunda of the Capitol, on the occasion of the 200th anniversary of his birth. The Society also urged the Congress to award Brumidi the Congressional Gold Medal; legislation to do so was passed by Congress in 2008 and signed by former President Bush that year. The Medal was formally presented on July 11, 2012. Joe’s latest effort, before his passing, was to get enough Congressional support to get a Resolution passed to have the Postmaster General issue a Brumidi commemorative stamp.
At the time of his passing, Joe’s “fight” was still ongoing, a fight that will hopefully continue by the Italian American community in the Washington, DC area - with the support of the Embassy of Italy. This would be a fitting legacy for Joe Grano, activist and friend to the entire Italian American community. A service to commemorate Joe’s life will be held on Sunday, January 19, 2014 at 6:00 p.m. in Casa Italiana. All are welcome. (submitted by Maria D’Andrea).