PRINTER'S NO. 1268
THE GENERAL ASSEMBLY OF PENNSYLVANIA
SENATE RESOLUTION
No.
237
Session of
2019
INTRODUCED BY FONTANA, DiSANTO, PHILLIPS-HILL, BARTOLOTTA,
HUGHES, MARTIN, MASTRIANO, STREET, FARNESE, BROWNE, J. WARD,
IOVINO, DINNIMAN, HUTCHINSON, MENSCH, TARTAGLIONE, YUDICHAK,
AUMENT, BLAKE, COSTA AND SABATINA, OCTOBER 21, 2019
INTRODUCED AND ADOPTED, OCTOBER 21, 2019
A RESOLUTION
Recognizing the month of October 2019 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, During Columbus's time, most people believed that
the world was formed mainly of one giant landmass consisting of
Europe, Asia and Africa, mostly because these were the only
continents mentioned in the Bible, and surrounded by one
enormous body of water they called the ocean sea; and
WHEREAS, Christopher Columbus was determined to find a
quicker route west from Europe to Asia and embarked on what
would become four trips across the Atlantic Ocean starting in
1492; and
WHEREAS, During his voyage, Christopher Columbus accidentally
stumbled upon the Americas and his journey was a catalyst for
centuries of exploration of the Americas; and
WHEREAS, Columbus has also been credited with opening up the
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Americas to European colonization and what is known as the
"Columbian Exchange" which set into motion the widespread
transfer of people, plants, animals and cultures; and
WHEREAS, These included staples such as wheat, barley, rice,
tomatoes, potatoes, coffee, sugar cane, corn and apples as well
as horses, cattle, sheep and goats; and
WHEREAS, While Italians 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; and
WHEREAS, 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, For this reason, Italian Americans started
celebrating the life and accomplishments of Christopher Columbus
as a way for citizens of Italian descent to be accepted by the
mainstream; 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 17 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, More recently, the Grand Lodge of Pennsylvania
became an independent organization and was renamed the Grand
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Lodge of Pennsylvania Sons and Daughters of Italy, existing to
promote education, encourage the dissemination of Italian
culture, organize programs for patriotic and humanitarian
purposes and combat discrimination while protecting and
upholding the positive image of Italian heritage; therefore be
it
RESOLVED, That the Senate recognize the month of October 2019
as "Italian-American Heritage Month" in Pennsylvania and commend
the early immigrants for their important role in our
Commonwealth's history.
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