Thirty-One Days of Italians

The purpose of this website is to educate others about the significant contributions that those of Italian heritage have made to America. Biographies range from one to several paragraphs providing an overview, and links to a collection of selected resources are provided for more in-depth research. The information is intended to be shared and distributed; however, the work in this website is a result of massive hours of researching, organizing, creating, and writing. If you use any of the information on this website, please give proper credit by citing Thirty-One Days of Italians and adding a link to this website. Thank you.

POLITICS/LAW

Ella T. Grasso (1919-1981) Born in Connecticut to immigrant parents from Genoa, at an early age Grasso learned the importance of strong community ties and was encouraged to pursue a formal education. Her close family ties and a commitment to the people she served, were values that made Grasso the first woman in America to become governor in her own right. She started her career as an elected politician in 1952, serving two terms in the Connecticut House of Representatives. In 1956, she became Chair of the Connecticut Democratic State Platform Committee, continuing in that position until 1968. In 1958, she was elected Connecticut Secretary of State, where she served for 12 years – until her election to the U.S. House of Representatives in 1970. She was elected a second term in the House and in 1974, Grasso was elected Governor of Connecticut. Halfway into her second tern as Governor, Grasso resigned due to illness. In her active political career, she won every election. In 1981, she was posthumously awarded the Presidential Medal of Freedom by President Ronald Reagan. In 1993, Grasso was inducted into the National Women’s Hall of Fame; and in 1994 she was inducted into the Connecticut Women’s Hall of Fame. Ella Giovanna Oliva [Tambussi] Grasso [Connecticut State Library] Ella Tambussi Grasso [United States House of Representatives] The Education of Ella Grasso National Women’s Hall of Fame Connecticut Women’s Hall of Fame Commencement Address at Mount Holyoke College [June 1, 1975] Ella T. Grasso Papers [Mount Holyoke College]

Filippo Mazzei [HM] (1730-1816) Befriended by Benjamin Franklin and Thomas Jefferson, in 1773, Mazzei – a physician, horticulturist, and merchant in Italy – came to America to establish vineyards in Virginia. Through his friendships with Franklin and Jefferson, Mazzei became acquainted with George Washington, James Monroe, Thomas Paine, Patrick Henry, James Madison, and John Adams; and Mazzei also became a supporter of American freedom. His collaboration with Jefferson led to the inclusion of "all men are created equal" into the Declaration of Independence, a paraphrase of Mazzei’s "All men are by nature equally free and independent." Mazzei was a native of Tuscany, and met Benjamin Franklin in London, where they discussed politics and business. Franklin invited Mazzei to visit him in America, and in 1773 Mazzei brought supplies and workers to start a garden vineyard in Virginia. In 1778, Mazzei returned to Italy to help raise money and gain information to assist Virginia during the Revolutionary War. He went back to America after the war, and in 1785 returned to Europe. In 1788, his book Recherches historiques et politiques sur les Etats-Unis de l'Amerique septentrionale (The History and Politics of the United States of America) was published in France, and Mazzei became an informal ambassador of American values. Mazzei did not return to America, but the friendship of Mazzei and Jefferson continued through written correspondence.  Phillip Mazzei [Thomas Jefferson Foundation] Thomas Jefferson Letter to Phillip Mazzei, 24 April 1796 [Princeton University] The Declaration of Independence, Thomas Jefferson, and Filippo Mazzei The Italian Connection and Philip Mazzei    Filippo Mazzei [The Florentine] Mazzei Vineyards: Philip Mazzei Charles Angelo Siringo (1855-1928) A child of Italian and Irish immigrant parents, Charlie Siringo was born in Texas and one-year old when he lost his father. By his mid-teens, Siringo was working as a cowboy at various ranches in Texas and then became a cattle driver, steering herds of thousands North to Kansas along the Chisholm Trail.  In 1884, Siringo married, moved to Kansas, and opened a general merchandise store. That same year, he wrote A Texas Cowboy, or Fifteen Years on the Hurricane Deck of a Spanish Pony, an autobiographical account of his life as a cowboy, and it became a best seller. Will Rogers claimed it "The Cowboy's Bible." Two years later, Siringo moved to Chicago and – with his interest in law and politics – joined the Pinkerton Detective Agency. During his time with Pinkerton, first in Chicago and then in Denver, Siringo traveled throughout the United States working mostly undercover – one of the first undercover detectives at Pinkerton. After leaving Pinkerton in 1907, he moved near Santa Fe, New Mexico, where he owned a ranch. (Siringo’s first wife died early in their marriage, and he married several more times.) Between 1912 and 1920 he wrote five more books. A book about his experiences, Pinkerton's Cowboy Detective, caused a lawsuit resulting in changing names and removing all references to the Agency, and published as A Cowboy Detective. Publication of a second book about Pinkerton was suppressed by the detective agency and brought criminal libel charges, but the request or extradition from Santa Fe to Chico was denied and, eventually the case was dropped. Cowboy, businessman, undercover detective, and author, Charles Angelo Siringo is a leading figure cowboy hero of the American West. During his lifetime, he became acquainted with Billy the Kid, Butch Cassidy, Clarance Darrow, Wyatt Earp, Pat Garrett, Bat Masterson, and many notables in politics and law enforcement. In his final years, he moved to California and played small roles in several movies, along with being a film consultant. The Life and Legacy of Charles Siringo: Cowboy, Author, and Detective  Siringo, Charles (1855-1928) Encyclopedia of the Great Plains Charles Siringo – Cowboy Detective Charles Angelo Siringo, The Cowboy Detective – A Classic (Italian) American Archetype NEW Cowboy Detective Charlie Siringo Helped Tame the Wild West Charles Angelo Siringo Matagorda County, Texas Charles Angelo Siringo: Detective, Author, Lawman The Siringo Saga: Happy Frontierado 2021! Pinkerton man … on Bandits’ Trail NEW Blown Out of Bed NEW A Cowboy Detective NEW Son of the Old West The Maverick Detective Butch Cassidy and Sundance Kid

Ferraro practiced law and became involved in local Democratic politics and campaigns, where she met Mario Cuomo (who would become Governor of New York for three terms – 1983 to 1994). She was elected president of the Queen’s County Women’s Bar Association in 1970 and was appointed Queen’s County Assistant District Attorney in 1974. Ferraro was assigned to the Investigations Bureau, and shortly after, placed in charge of the newly established Special Victims Bureau. Ferraro received much praise for her work, but her experiences in the Bureau changed her political views, causing her to look at running for a higher office in search of seeking solutions to tackle the social problems she had encountered. In 1978, Ferraro was elected to the U.S. House of Representatives, building her support through  issues of local law enforcement, assistance for the elderly, and preserving neighborhoods. With her strong work ethic, knowledge of issues, and fair treatment, the first Congresswomen from Queens received a great deal of support and admiration in the House and from her constituents, winning election for two additional terms and earning seats on several congressional committees. Her popularity in the Democratic Party made her the logical choice to be nominated as the Vice Presidential candidate in Walter Mondale’s bid for presidency in 1984. In her acceptance speech, Ferraro addressed her Italian ethnicity: “Tonight, the daughter of an immigrant from Italy has been chosen to run for vice president in the new land my father came to love …” Ferraro has written several books and occasionally appeared as a political commentator on television news shows. She was diagnosed with multiple myeloma in 1998, and volunteered her time to raise awareness of the disease. She became a member of the Honorary Board of Directors of the Multiple Myeloma Research Foundation. In 2006, a rose was named in her honor.

Fiorello H. La Guardia (1882-1947) Known for his strong support of fair government, La Guardia was the first three-term mayor of New York City, and is credited for changing its landscape and establishing the foundation for the city’s growth after the Depression. Born in New York to Italian immigrant parents, La Guardia spent his early years in the West, moving with his family to Arizona in 1892, where his father, Achille, was assigned chief musician of an infantry band. Wanting to pass down his passion for music, and anticipating his son would become a musician, Fiorello was taught to play the cornet. The music lessons did not go well, but Fiorello did learn “patience and fortitude,” skills that would be useful in his later years. After his father was discharged from the army, the family moved to Trieste, his mother’s hometown. (His father was from Apulia.)  In 1900, La Guardia worked for the U.S. Consulate in Budapest, Hungary, and then in Fiume (now Rijeka, Croatia) in 1904. Told he would not advance in a career in the Consulate without a college degree, and a knowledge of languages and world events, La Guardia began to study languages – including Italian – and became an avid reader of newspapers. Three years later he returned to the U.S. to finish his education, attending night classes at New York University School of Law and working during the day as an interpreter on Ellis Island. After graduating, La Guardia started practicing law and, although his political philosophy was progressive and leaned toward the Democratic Party, he chose to align with the Republican Party. In 1915, he was appointed Deputy Attorney General of New York State. The following year, he was elected to the U.S. House of Representatives, but left to serve as a military pilot during World War I. In 1922, he ran again and was elected to five consecutive terms in the U.S. House of Representatives. During his last term, he co-sponsored the Norris-La Guardia Act, a law that protected union workers. In 1933, La Guardia was elected Mayor of New York City. During his twelve years in office the Brooklyn Battery Tunnel, Triborough Bridge, East River Drive, West Side Highway, and an airport – that was named in his honor in 1953 – were built. In 1972, the United States Postal Service issued a stamp to commemorate his public service.     Fiorello Henry La Guardia [U.S. Congress] Fiorello La Guardia: From Congressman to WWI Hero in the Air  Profiles in World War I Immigration History: Fiorello La Guardia Fiorello La Guardia – History Of New York City Mayors Fiorello H. La Guardia Papers [The New York Public Library] Fiorello La Guardia on Prohibition The Story Behind the Nazis’ Greatest Enemy: an NYC Mayor [New York Post] La Guardia and Wagner Archives 

Geraldine Ferraro: Paving the Way Geraldine Ann Ferraro [United States House of Representatives] Representative Geraldine Ferraro 1984 Acceptance Speech Geraldine Ferraro, 1935-2011 [Fordham News] Geraldine Ferraro Honored with Rose at Fordham Law

Charles Bonaparte (1851-1921) As Attorney General during Theodore Roosevelt’s administration, Bonaparte established a special exploratory force that became the Federal Bureau of Investigation. With a law degree from Harvard University, Bonaparte started a private practice in Maryland in 1874. Shortly after, he became involved in civic reform to promote honesty in government  and was the founder of the Reform League of Baltimore and one of the founders of the National Municipal League – now the National Civic League – and later became its president. Bonaparte was a member of the Indian Rights Association and was a member of the Board of Indian Commissioners. He was Secretary of the United States Navy, and in 1906, he was appointed United States Attorney General, and served until 1906. It was during his term as Attorney General that he initiated the Bureau of Investigation, evolving into the Federal Bureau of Investigation in 1908. Bonaparte was the great grandnephew of Napoleon. The Other Bonaparte [Notre Dame Magazine] Attorney General: Charles Joseph Bonaparte [U.S. Department of Justice] FBI: A Brief History: The Nation Calls, 1908-1923  Police History: The Creation and Evolution of the FBI Finding Napoleon Bonaparte at the FBI Charles Bonaparte, Founder of the FBI Charles Joseph Bonaparte The Story of the FBI  FBI Turns 110 (July 26, 2018) Letter from Charles J. Bonaparte to Theodore Roosevelt [1909] Charles Bonaparte, Secretary of the Navy [Letter dated July 1, 1905]

Geraldine Ferraro (1935-2011) The first woman nominated on a major party ticket for vice President of the United States, Geraldine Ferraro was born in Newburgh, New York to an Italian American mother and Italian immigrant father. Her father died when she was a child, leaving her mother to support the family; and in honor of her mother’s dedication, Ferraro kept her maiden name when she married. She attended Catholic school, skipping several grades, and receiving a full college scholarship. After graduating, she became an elementary school teacher in the New York City Department of Education. Teaching during the day and studying law at night, Ferraro earned her law degree from Fordham University, one of two women in her graduating class of 1960.

Giuseppe Maria Francesco Vigo (c.1740-1836) In Vincennes, Indiana, on the bank of the Wabash River, the granite statue of an American patriot and businessman faces south, looking down river. The statue, and the name of the county of the capital city, Terre Haute – a few hours drive north – are in honor of Italian-born Giuseppe Maria Francesco Vigo, better known as Francesco Vigo or Francis Vigo. Born in Mondovi (region of Piemonte on the western border of France), no other information about his early life is noted. Vigo arrived in America in the midst of the Revolutionary War, and his legacy begins in the early 1770s, when he was part of a Spanish regiment in New Orleans (then a territory of Spain). After leaving the service, he moved to St. Louis and became active as a merchant in fur trade. Vigo was a successful businessman; his knowledge of the French language was beneficial in establishing relations with the area’s French settlers, and he treated Native Americans with respect.  After the colonies proclaimed their independence from Britain in 1776, the battles continued for control of the land. In 1778, Vigo and other local merchants helped fund General George Rogers Clark in his attempts to take control of several forts that had been seized by the British. Vigo became a patriot of the American cause, befriended General Clark, and provided funds for military maneuvers and supplies. While gathering information for General Clark, Vigo was captured by British allies and held for several weeks, where he learned about Britain’s reinforcement of Fort Sackville at Vincennes; he later relayed his findings to General Clark. It’s noted that the information supplied by Vigo was instrumental in General Clark’s capture of the Fort – a major victory for the American colonies during the Revolutionary War – and subsequently led to claiming the Old Northwest for America. Vigo settled in Vincennes, Indiana and became an American citizen in 1783. He petitioned the United States government to reimburse him for the funds he had provided to General Clark, but died before receiving a distribution. He bequeathed funds for a bell to be purchased and installed at the courthouse in Terre Haute, now the Vigo County Courthouse. The county was named after him in 1818 and the bell was made in 1887. Vigo is buried in Vincennes, and has two gravestones, the second one installed by the Daughters of the American Revolution. Colonel Francis Vigo [Four Centuries of Italian-American History by Giovanni Schiavo] Italian-American Hero Francis Vigo NEW This Day in History: Francis Vigo, Revolutionary War Hero NEW Francis Vigo ~ Fur Trader and Spy NEW The Battle of Vincennes [February 1779] Revolutionary War: Francis Vigo [American Battlefield Trust] Francis Vigo [George Rogers Clark National Historic Park] Col. Francis Vigo Claims for Compensation; House of Representatives, 1848 [PDF] Francis Vigo Papers Old Northwest Territory Timeline of the Revolution