Little Italy Des Moines

Happy Columbus Day!!! Passing in tradition is so important to keep our Italian American heritage. We encourage all Iowans to not fear what we were given and respect our ancestors for all they went through to give us the great life we have today. 💕🇮🇹🇺🇸

SAVE ITALIAN AMERICAN DUAL CITIZENSHIP!!

The Italian government unexpectedly passed a new measure — an emergency decree known as the "Citizenship Package" — which took effect on Friday, March 27, 2025. If left unchallenged by Italy’s courts or parliament, the measure, pushed forward by Foreign Minister Antonio Tajani, will permanently alter how citizenship is granted to people with Italian ancestry.
Who Is Affected?

Moving forward, only the children and grandchildren of Italians born abroad will automatically qualify for Italian citizenship. Hereafter, great-grandchildren and their descendants are no longer eligible.

The measure does not affect those who have already been granted dual citizenship or applications initiated before the March 27 cut-off date. At this time, it has not been determined where pending applications of children and grandchildren of Italians are being sent for processing. The consulates have stopped processing applications and discontinued taking citizenship appointments at this time.
Nearly 100,000 people have already signed an online petition opposing this sweeping change to Italy’s citizenship law. Don’t wait: take a stand and add your name today. The petition is available in several languages. Scroll down the page to read the English translation and make your voice count.

SIGN THE PETITION
https://www.change.org/p/ripudio-al-d-l-tajani-28-03-25

Is This Legal?

Some legal experts say the government may have overstepped. In Italy, “emergency decrees” like this one must be used only in urgent situations and must clearly show why immediate action is needed. Critics argue that there was no real emergency, and this could be considered an abuse of power. The Court of Cassation (Italy’s highest court) could overturn the decree if it agrees the government acted improperly.

Why Did This Happen?

According to Tajani, there are over 60,000 ongoing legal proceedings pertaining to the determination of dual citizenship, and the government is trying to curb a recent surge in applicants to root out supposed “fraud” and “improper practices,” and/or to improve efficiency.

What's Next?

Even if the court does not block the measure, Italy’s parliament must approve or change the law within 60 days, or the measure will expire. Some members of the government’s own party are already speaking out against the new rules and say they need to hear from affected families.

SIGN THE PETITION TODAY!!!
https://www.change.org/p/ripudio-al-d-l-tajani-28-03-25

With this new action of minimizing dual citizenship even further for American citizens the ability for Italian Americans to connect with their roots and keep their identity intact is almost impossible. It is important for Italian Americans to support the country that our past generations came from and continue the culture and heritage so that it will not be lost.

Firma la petizione Ripudio al D​.​L. TAJANI 28/03/25 -

🌟 Support Italian Heritage in Our Schools! 🌟

We're excited to share the Italian Heritage Curriculum, a treasure trove of cultural stories and lessons. From Pinocchio's timeless truths to the brilliance of Italian Renaissance masters, these teachings enrich our understanding of Italian culture. 🎨📚

We need your help to bring this curriculum into our schools, preserving and celebrating our Italian American heritage for future generations. Your support can make a difference in keeping our cultural roots alive and thriving. 🇮🇹✨

Join us in this initiative by spreading the word and contributing to our cause. Together, let's foster a community that honors and cherishes its heritage!

Help Us Bring Italian American Heritage Curriculum to Our Schools!

We are looking for teachers and parents who are passionate about our heritage in America and teaching our future generations Italian American history in our schools!
For more information and to sign up to make a difference check out the link below

Home-Little Italy Foundation-Midwest Help Us Bring Italian American Heritage Curriculum to Our Schools!In collaboration with the New Jersey Italian Heritage Commission (NJIHC) and the National Columbus Education Foundation (NCEF), we have launched a letter-writing campaign aimed at education commissioners in all fifty states. Our initi...

Check out the upcoming Little Italy's Around the World Italian Festival! Come support the Midwest and Iowa!

Sunshine State Real Estate LOCAL REALTOR IN SOUTH FLORIDA
DEDICATED TO HELPING THE PUBLIC WITH THEIR REAL ESTATE NEEDS

Little Italy Foundation is proud to announce being a part of 2025’s Little Italys Around the World Italian Festival! Join us by liking the page!

http://www.facebook.com/LittleItalysAroundtheWorldItalianFestival

Sunshine State Real Estate LOCAL REALTOR IN SOUTH FLORIDA
DEDICATED TO HELPING THE PUBLIC WITH THEIR REAL ESTATE NEEDS

Happy Italian American Heritage Month from the White House!! Join us at the White House with the live video of our First Lady, Dr Jill Biden and President Biden speaking to celebrate our culture and heritage

LIVE: Joe and Jill Biden speak at an Italian American Heritage Month reception U.S. President Joe Biden and the First Lady Jill Biden deliver remarks at an Italian American Heritage Month reception.

Happy Columbus Day!!! Let's remember the Italian Americans that were murdered and sacrificed their lives for this day to be given to the Italian American community.

James Caruso (1853-1891), like John, worked on Matranga’s dock crew. A good match for his exact reported age at death and likely father’s name (based on his oldest son’s) appears in the Palermo index of births as Girolamo Caruso, born in the district of Molo, like Abbagnato, in 1853. James filed first papers toward citizenship in 1886 and was registered to vote. According to the consul, he was at one time the commissioner of elections in New Orleans’ Fifth Ward. While some of his fellows were buried alone as paupers, two were noted as having had large, well-attended funerals proceeding from their residences and including a mass at St. Louis Cathedral: fruit magnate J. P. Macheca, and James Caruso.
One of the men whose bodies went unclaimed was that of Charles Traina (1852-1891). In one news source he’s described as a lemon dealer who lived in St. Charles Parish, but by most accounts, he was a laborer on the Sarpy rice plantation in St. Charles. He was one of three victims born in Italy who had not renounced his allegiance to the king (as one does when declaring intention to naturalize, the first step toward US citizenship), although one source claims he voted (a privilege Louisiana extended to those who filed first papers toward naturalization). The same source also describes Traina as a fugitive who served multiple prison terms in Italy, and that his real name was Vincenzo Rocci.

Sebastiano Incardona was born around 1863 in Trabia, based on correspondence and ship manifests, but there are no records for that time period available with which to confirm his birth. He’s called a fugitive from Italy, seen with Scaffidi and Abbagnato shooting from in front of Monasterio’s home. In the prison, he hid from the mob in a box of garbage. Surviving the attack on the prison, he made at least one and possibly several more trips between Italy and the US. In 1900, he joined a cousin in New York City’s Little Italy; on the manifest he claims to have been in New Orleans from 1888-1890.
Frank Romeo (1843-1891) was one of the six caught by the mob near the women’s jail entrance. He was born Francesco Romeo in Molo in 1843. Of all the targets of the lynch mob, he had lived in New Orleans the longest: he arrived in 1859, before the Civil War, and was naturalized in 1868.
He worked as a cigar dealer and as a screwman, a stevedore who stows compressed cotton bales in ships’ holds. Frank married Annette Spino, who was previously married with children, and they had three sons and a daughter.

Rocco Geraci (1857-1891) was an enforcer for Matranga and a member of his dock crew. He killed a member of the Giardinieri, Vincent Raffo, in December 1886, a crime that was finally prosecuted after the ambush in 1890 in which Geraci was wounded. He was shot to death in the jail along with Romeo, Caruso, Traina, Monastero, and Comitz. Antonio Abbagnato was with them and was shot, but not fatally. Abbagnato was then dragged from the prison and hanged in the street.

Joseph P. Macheca (1843-1891) was the only victim of the lynching that I could positively tie to the Giardinieri. He was its leader, as well as a fruit merchant and shipping tycoon, businesses he inherited from his stepfather. When the lynch mob found Macheca, he was in a cell with Scaffidi and the elder Marchesi.

After Scaffidi was shot, Antonio Marchesi tripped and fell over his body and was shot many times, but got back up to face the oncoming mob. Macheca picked up a club and used it to break a lock so they might escape into the gallery. The mob caught them both just as the door was opening. Marchesi, though already severely injured, fought back: he pushed away a gun barrel aimed at him, and it blew off his hand. Macheca was shot in the head and died instantly.

Emmanuel Polizzi (c. 1856-1891) was discovered hiding under some stairs, as Abbagnato was being dragged out of the prison to be hanged. Why Abbagnato was selected by the mob at the door of the women’s prison appears to be a matter of pique: the crowd wanted Macheca, who was already dead, and chose someone else who happened to be close at hand. On the way they found Polizzi, who is described in various accounts as mentally ill or a “fool.” After giving a partial confession, he became paranoid about the others who were charged. He tried to throw himself from the window of the sheriff’s office.
Both men were hung: Polizzi at the corner of St. Ann and Abbagnato in Congo Square. In each case, the first hanging was unsuccessful and the victim came crashing down, to be abused, kicked, even shot, and then hung again.

Pietro Monasterio (1848-1891) was identified by a witness as one of the shooters. He was born in Caccamo, the son of a tailor. He worked as a shoemaker, had a wife and five children, and was known as a man of good character. In January 1890, he arrived alone in the United States: his destination, New Orleans. For most of a year, before the mass arrests in October, he worked and sent home money to support his family.

Loreto Comitz (c. 1841-1891), said to be a native of Aquila, near Rome. He was one of the three Italian subjects who were killed. He had been a tinsmith, and had a wife and child in New Orleans.

It’s Italian American Heritage month!! It is so important to celebrate our heritage and show our next generation the meaning of being Italian American. Take a moment and participate in our culture and support Italian American businesses! 🇮🇹

Buona festa della Momma! ❤️❤️❤️🇮🇹🇺🇸