PRINTER'S NO. 1129
THE GENERAL ASSEMBLY OF PENNSYLVANIA
SENATE RESOLUTION
No.
176
Session of
2023
INTRODUCED BY DiSANTO, STEFANO, ROBINSON, CAPPELLETTI,
TARTAGLIONE, PHILLIPS-HILL, KANE, SANTARSIERO, MARTIN,
FONTANA, COMITTA AND COSTA, SEPTEMBER 29, 2023
REFERRED TO RULES AND EXECUTIVE NOMINATIONS, SEPTEMBER 29, 2023
A RESOLUTION
Recognizing the month of October 2023 as "Italian-American
Heritage Month" in Pennsylvania.
WHEREAS, Explorer Christopher Columbus, the son of a wool
merchant, was born in Genoa, Italy, around 1451; and
WHEREAS, Christopher Columbus was determined to find a
quicker route west from Europe to Asia and embarked on what
would become four voyages across the Atlantic Ocean starting in
1492; and
WHEREAS, During his initial voyage, Christopher Columbus
landed upon an island in the Bahamas, and his journey became a
catalyst for centuries of exploration of the Americas; and
WHEREAS, Columbus set into motion the widespread transfer of
people, plants, animals and cultures between the Old and New
Worlds; and
WHEREAS, While Italian adventurers have always been a part of
American history, it was not until the 1820s that Italian
immigrants began moving to the United States in sizable numbers;
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and
WHEREAS, A feudal society, high unemployment and oppressive
taxes coupled with natural disasters, disease, poverty and
famine, gave many reasons for Italians to look for freedom and
opportunities abroad; and
WHEREAS, While educated Italian professionals also emigrated,
many Italian immigrants arrived relatively unskilled, but soon
helped fuel a booming industrial economy by providing labor for
American factories and mines and helping to build roads, dams,
tunnels and other infrastructure; and
WHEREAS, As Italian Americans began settling in the country's
major cities, they faced religious and ethnic discrimination
which occasionally led to brutal violence; and
WHEREAS, For this reason, Italian Americans started
celebrating the life and accomplishments of Christopher Columbus
as a way for residents of Italian descent to be accepted by
their new homeland; and
WHEREAS, In 1937, President Franklin D. Roosevelt proclaimed
Columbus Day as a national holiday; and
WHEREAS, We credit Christopher Columbus with Italian
immigration to the New World and what is now Pennsylvania; and
WHEREAS, Currently, there are more than 16 million Americans
of Italian heritage in the United States and more than 1.4
million Americans of Italian heritage residing in Pennsylvania;
and
WHEREAS, In 1905, the Order Sons of Italy in America was
formed, with the Grand Lodge of Pennsylvania to follow in 1913;
and
WHEREAS, Their successors, the State Lodge of Pennsylvania,
Order Sons and Daughters of Italy in America and the Grand Lodge
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of Pennsylvania Sons and Daughters of Italy, continue to
preserve Italian-American traditions, history and culture and
combat discrimination while upholding the positive image of
Italian heritage; therefore be it
RESOLVED, That the Senate recognize the month of October 2023
as "Italian-American Heritage Month" in Pennsylvania and
acknowledge the important role of early immigrants in our
Commonwealth's history.
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