Italian American Museum

09/02/2026

Italian American Museum presents, "Cobblestones: A New Orleans Tragedy", a lecture featuring ground-breaking information by author Sal R. Perricone, with introduction by Michael A. Santo, Esq. on Saturday, September 5 at 3:00 pm.

Click here for tickets:

https://www.eventbrite.com/e/cobblestones-a-new-orleans-tragedy-tickets-1998999277651?aff=erelpanelorg

Tickets will be available at the door as well.

About the event:

A tragedy led to the creation of Columbus Day. In order to understand why 11 Italian immigrants were lynched in New Orleans in 1891, you have to know who actually murdered the City’s Police Chief. This 135-year-old mystery has been solved and Mr. Perricone will present the background and answers. This presentation must be preserved and circulated.

A Q&A with the author will follow the presentation.

About the book:

The turbulent history of Post-Reconstruction New Orleans collides with the plight of Sicilian immigrants seeking refuge in America.

Antonio, a young man fleeing Sicily after avenging his father's murder, embarks on a harrowing journey to New Orleans with the help of Jesuit priests expelled from his homeland. But the promise of a fresh start quickly sours as Antonio finds himself entangled in a volatile clash of cultures, corruption, and crime.

In the late 19th century, Italian immigrants in New Orleans faced hostility, exploitation, and a brutal system of indentured servitude. Antonio becomes a witness to history as a bitter feud over the docks spirals into violence, culminating in the assassination of Irish police chief David C. Hennessy. The ensuing trial of nine Italians and the shocking lynching of eleven innocent men ignited international outrage, threatening to sever ties between the United States and Italy.

Caught in the crossfire of prejudice and power struggles, Antonio fights to survive while grappling with his own past and future. His journey weaves a gripping tale of resilience, betrayal, and the enduring hope for justice. Cobblestones: A New Orleans Tragedy is a poignant reminder of the human cost of intolerance and the courage it takes to rebuild a life from ashes.

Copies of the book will be available for purchase and signing.

Ticket price includes admission to the Museum's current exhibitions, "Sicilian Theater in Little Italy: The Return of the Manteo Puppets" and "Goodnight, Maria: A Tribute to all the women who worked tirelessly in the garment industry to live the American dream".

08/19/2026

The Italian American Museum will be closed on Friday, August 21 and Saturday, August 22. Regular Museum hours will resume on Friday, August 28.

08/11/2026

The Italian Caucus of The New York City Council met With Leaders of several Italian American Organizations at the Italian American Museum on Thursday, July 30th.

The mission of the Italian Caucus of the Council of the City of New York is to promote the history, culture, and contributions of New Yorkers of Italian descent and to provide a collective voice in the New York City Council and beyond.

08/11/2026

Italian American Museum thanks its supporters for making the 23rd Annual Golf Classic a major success

Pictured (left to right): Robert Fonti, Luca Carriero, Frank Delape, Eugene Limongelli, Dr. Joseph V. Scelsa, Antonio Froio, Joseph V. Gioia, Christopher Di Mattio

Click here to view event photos:

23rd Annual Golf Classic held at North Hills Country Club on June 25, 2026

07/30/2026

Italian American Museum volunteer Shannon Walsh (Granddaughter of Museum curator Janine Coyne) visited the workshop of master Sicilian puppeteer Daniel Mauceri on the island of Ortigia, the historic center of Siracusa, Sicily.

Daniel Mauceri is a master puparo and artisan, devoted to the traditional craft of Sicilian puppets - known as Pupi Siciliani. He represents the third generation of a family deeply rooted in this art form, active in Siracusa, Sicily for over 40 years.

Raised in the family workshop, Daniel’s childhood was shaped by the scent of wood, the colors of paint, and the rhythmic sound of chisels echoing through the space. He inherited his creative spirit from his grandfather, Alfredo Vaccaro, and learned the meticulous techniques of puppet-making from his father, Umberto Mauceri. This legacy is the foundation of Daniel’s unique blend of tradition and innovation: a balance he maintains both in the workshop and on stage.

Daniel’s approach to craftsmanship respects the ancestral methods of construction while embracing contemporary aesthetics. His family’s workshop is the birthplace of the “Siracusa style”, created in 1978 by his grandfather and great-uncle, who were papier-mâché artists. When illness prevented his great-uncle Rosario from carving puppet heads in wood, he pioneered the use of papier-mâché instead, a technique now refined by Daniel into sculptural detail so hard it mimics wood, yet allows for greater expressiveness. Today, the Mauceri workshop remains the only one in Sicily creating Pupi with papier-mâché heads.

Beyond puppet-making, Daniel is committed to keeping the Opera dei Pupi relevant for modern audiences. Education and transmission are central to his mission. His workshop is always open to visitors, and he regularly runs hands-on workshops on metal embossing, papier-mâché techniques, and full puppet creation: introducing both children and adults to a world often unknown to them.

Daniel’s puppets are not only used in family-run performances but have also found homes in museums and private collections across the world — from Australia to the United States, France, Germany, Japan, and even the Museum of Shadows and Puppets in Chengdu, China.

07/15/2026

The Manteo Family Tradition Continues in the 21st Century!

Pictured (left to right): Tori Manteo, "Ruggiero", and Stacy Manteo at the Italian American Museum.

07/15/2026

The Conference of Presidents of Major Italian American Organizations held its Annual Meeting at the Italian American Museum on Saturday, June 29th.

Pictured (left to right): John Viola, Co-Vice President for New York City of the Italian Sons and Daughters of America, Hon. Basil Russo, National President of the Conference of Presidents of Major Italian American Organizations, Famed Actor and Comedian Joe Piscopo, host of the Joe Piscopo Morning Show, Dr. Joseph V. Scelsa, Founder and President of the Italian American Museum.

07/15/2026

07/15/2026

Richard Scalfone Wins $10,000!

Italian American Museum congratulates Richard Scalfone on winning the Grand Raffle Prize at the 23rd Annual Golf Classic held on June 25th.

Pictured (left to right): Richard Scalfone, member of the Bricklayers and Allied Craftworkers (Local NY 1) foursome at the 23rd Annual Golf Classic, is presented a check for $10,000 by Dr. Joseph V. Scelsa, Founder and President of the Italian American Museum.

07/09/2026

The Italian American Museum cordially invites you to attend a special presentation by Germana Valentini in connection with the recently unveiled mural dedicated to the immigration of Italians to America titled, "Bonded by Blood. New World" tomorrow at 6:00 pm. Please join us!

Event Program:

Welcome:
Dr. Joseph V. Scelsa
Founder and President, Italian American Museum

Remarks:
CG. Giuseppe Pastorelli
Consul General of Italy in New York

Presentation by Germana Valentini:
Introduction of Mural - Bonded by Blood. New World.
Video Footage

Remarks:
Vincent Zeccardi (Ancestors featured on mural)
Robert Zerilli (Ancestors featured on mural)

Closing Remarks:
Germana Valentini

Click here for tickets:
https://www.eventbrite.com/e/bonded-by-blood-new-world-tickets-1993152928062?aff=ebdsoporgprofile

Tickets will be available at the door as well.

Ticket price includes admission to the Museum's current exhibitions.

About the mural:

In Sanguine Foedus. Nuovo Mondo (Bonded by Blood. New World) represents a monumental, 1,000-square-meter mural recently inaugurated at the Port of Naples, Italy. Created by Neapolitan artist Vittorio Valiante, the artwork honors the historical Italian emigration to the United States.

The mural spans the Molo San Vincenzo pier - the exact historical departure point where millions of Italians left in search of a better future and serves as a visual bridge between the cultures of Naples and New York City, connecting Italian heritage with the Italian-American experience.

The work was born from an idea by promoters Francesco Andoli and Germana Valentini and was created by the Neapolitan artist Vittorio Valiante, in collaboration with INWARD National Observatory on Urban Creativity.

About the presenter:

Germana Valentini is an Italian author, television writer, and cultural researcher whose work focuses on migration studies, culinary heritage and Italian-American communities.

She holds a degree in Modern European Languages and Cultures and collaborates with both Italian and international media outlets, including Nove Colonne, La Voce di New York, and formerly America Oggi. Her journalistic and research activities explore cultural, social, and gastronomic themes, with particular attention to the dialogue between tradition and contemporary society.

In 2023, she published her first book, Veniero. Storie di emigranti italiani a New York (Colonnese), a historical account tracing the story of Antonio Veniero and his family during the early decades of the twentieth century. Through archival research, photographs, and fieldwork, the book connects the history of the iconic East Village pastry shop to the broader experience of Italian migration to New York, offering insights into the cultural identity and culinary traditions of Italian-American communities.

In 2024, she curated the Italian edition of Dinner with DiMaggio – Memories of an Italian-American Hero, featuring a foreword by Francis Ford Coppola and published by I Quaderni del Bardo.

Valentini has been invited to speak at international conferences and cultural events dedicated to migration, food heritage and identity, including engagements at New York University, the Italian Cultural Institute of New York, and the Culinary Institute of America.

She is also co-creator, promoter, and executive producer of In Sanguine Foedus, an international cultural initiative that investigates the historical, social, and cultural legacy of Italian migration. Through interdisciplinary projects, public art, historical research, and educational activities, the initiative fosters dialogue and strengthens the enduring ties between Italy and the United States.