I remember growing that St.Valentines day was always a fund in parochial school. The nuns would allow us to exchange Valentine’s and purchase candy. In fact, I’m still in contact with my fifth grade Valentine. In 1969, St. Valentine was removed from the General Roman Calendar, because so little about him can be confirmed. However he is still listed as a saint. He was the Bishop of Terni, Narnia and Amelia when he was arrested for the first time. The judge presented his blind daughter and requested that Valentine restore her vision. It is told that he placed his hands on her eyes and restored her sight. As a result, the judge and his family converted and he released all the Christian prisoners. He was arrested again for trying to convert people to Christianity and brought before Emperor Claudius II. After several attempts to convert the Emperor he became so outraged that he sentenced Valentine to death by being beaten to death and beheaded.  It is unclear as to the exact year that this occurred but it is believed to have been February 14th 269.  It is thought that the romantic nature of the feast day occurred during the Middle Ages when it was believed that birds coupled in mid-February. Valentine is the patron saint of couples, bee keepers, engaged couples, epilepsy, fainting, greetings, happy marriages, love, lovers, plague, travelers, and young people. He is represented in pictures with birds and roses and his feast day is celebrated on February 14.     https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=QbNiuhMYC8w&list=PL58g24NgWPIzvBk2IQVES_xC4WTm6-CDI Click here to join Italian Roots and Genealogy on Facebook

Great conversation with Paul Spadoni about researching his family in Montecarlo Tuscany, living and working in Italy and spending 6 months a year in his grandparents hometown. Paul and Lucy Spadoni periodically live in Tuscany to explore Paul’s Italian roots, practice their Italian and enjoy “la dolce vita.” Paul is the author of “An American Family in Italy: Living La Dolce Vita without Permission,” an Amazon bestseller. Podcast Click here to join our group on Facebook Video

Caroline Sorrentino in the Blizzard of 1947 Whitestone NY ( Photo by Nick Sorrentino NY Daily News ) Weather “experts” were predicting a significant amount of snow in my part of NJ in January 2022. So far in 2023 nothing. While I am grateful that it did not materialize, it made be think about the days in grammar school when the nightly news predicated a snowstorm. I remember going to bed with the anticipation of a school closing the next morning, and if it was really bad two days off! You never thought that much about what the adults had to deal with, but at least they didn’t have to run to the store for milks it was delivered to your door step. Now I remember outcomes… 1) What no snow; 2) Snow, but barely enough to close school; 3) Blizzard. We couldn’t wait to get outside. There were igloos to build, sledding to get done, snowballs fights and snowmen to build. We couldn’t wait to get outside. Some how, without messaging, everyone knew were to be. There was big hill around the corner from my house, with very little traffic and we some how managed to get there at the same time. Cold was never a factor. We would be out for hours, come home for lunch and some Nestle’s Hot Cocoa made with whole milk, maybe a sandwich, a change into dry clothes and back out again. By the end of the day you were bruised and exhausted and hoping school would still be closed the next day. I went to Catholic School so that was rare, the nuns weren’t going for that crap. Now high school that was a different story. I had a bus and two subway train commute. Some how waiting on the corner for the bus was not as much fun as sliding down the hill. I was lucky in that the bus stop was right across the street and I was able to time it to the minute. The bus dropped you off right at the subway, so you just had to maneuver the icy steps without breaking your neck. Once on the subway you had the pleasure of the rubber boot/wet wool smell to greet you. If you were unlucky you picked the unheated subway car. I had to switch trains on an outdoor platform with the wind and snow swirling and if the connecting train was late, it could get quite cold. Once I got off in Astoria, there was a seven or eight block slog to school. Oh, and the Christian Brothers didn’t give a damn if you were late. “But brother the snow”, “You should have left earlier.” Once during Easter vacation, we had a storm. My cousin Lou came to fill up our oil tank and asked me if I wanted to work on the truck. Sure! Little did I know that I was going to be humping the hose to the houses while he kept an eye on things from the cab. But it was great fun and I made a few bucks and in the summer he hired me to help clean oil burners. Throughout my working years at Chemical and Chase bank in NYC, there was no such thing as a snow day. I worked in Money Transfer. You had to get there. And some how I always did. Now in retirement, I can look at the window and marvel at the whiteness of the snow, well for at least a day. Hope that Mike comes and plows the sidewalk and the town plow doesn’t pile snow in my driveway. I’m not so worried about milk and bread, but I do check the wine supply. Click here to join our group on Facebook

Giovanni Caboto So in researching Italian immigration to Canada, the very first thing I find is that John Cabot was Italian!  That was never mentioned in history class.  I remember him being English.  Now, it it true that he sailed under the English flag, but his real name was Giovanni Caboto from Venice.  Kind of an import fact I think.  So, he was that first Italian in Canada in 1497.  I’ll get to the migration, but first a bit on Giovanni. John Cabot, Italian Giovanni Caboto, (born c. 1450, Genoa? [Italy]—died c. 1499), navigator and explorer who by his voyages in 1497 and 1498 helped lay the groundwork for the later British claim to Canada. The exact details of his life and of his voyages are still subjects of controversy among historians and cartographers. John Cabot.© New York Public Library Picture Collection/Corbis Cabot moved to Venice in 1461, or possibly earlier, and became a citizen of that city in 1476. While employed by a Venetian mercantile firm, he traveled to the eastern shores of the Mediterranean and visited Mecca, a great trading centre where Oriental and Western goods were exchanged. He became skilled in navigational techniques and seems to have envisaged, independently of Christopher Columbus, the possibility of reaching Asia by sailing westward. Cabot’s whereabouts and activities from the mid-1480s to the mid-1490s are in doubt, but it is believed that he moved with his family to England and had taken up residence in Bristol by the end of 1495. On March 5, 1496, King Henry VII of England issued letters patent to Cabot and his sons, authorizing them to voyage in search of unknown lands, to return their merchandise by the port of Bristol, and to enjoy a monopoly of any trade they might establish there. The news of Columbus’ recent discoveries on behalf of Spain was a spur to English action and secured some support for Cabot from Bristol merchants. In 1496 Cabot made a voyage from Bristol with one ship, but he was forced to turn back because of a shortage of food, inclement weather, and disputes with his crew. In May 1497, however, he set sail from Bristol in the small ship Matthew, with a crew of 18 men. He proceeded around Ireland and then north and west, making landfall on the morning of June 24. The exact landing place has never been definitely established: it has been variously believed to be in southern Labrador, Newfoundland, or Cape Breton Island. On going ashore, he noticed signs indicating that the area was inhabited but saw no people. Taking possession of the land for the English king, he unfurled both the English and Venetian flags. He conducted explorations from the ship along the coastline, naming various features Cape Discovery, Island of St. John, St. George’s Cape, the Trinity Islands, and England’s Cape. These may be, respectively, the present Cape North, St. Paul Island, Cape Ray, St. Pierre and Miquelon, and Cape Race, all in the area of Cabot Strait. John Cabot landing on the shores of Labrador, coloured engraving by an unknown artist, 19th century.© North Wind Picture Archives In the mistaken belief that he had reached the northeast coast of Asia, Cabot returned to Bristol on August 6, 1497. He reported that the land was excellent, the climate temperate, and the sea covered with enough fish to end England’s dependence on Iceland’s fish. In the midst of an enthusiastic welcome, he announced his plans to return to his landing place and from there sail westward until he came to Japan, the reputed source of spices and gems. On February 3, 1498, he received new letters patent for a second expedition. Cabot’s second expedition probably consisted of five ships and about 200 men. Soon after setting out in 1498, one ship was damaged and sought anchorage in Ireland, suggesting that the fleet had been hit by a severe storm. By 1499 Cabot had been given up for dead. The effect of Cabot’s efforts was to demonstrate the viability of a short route across the North Atlantic. This would later prove important in the establishment of British colonies in North America. This article was most recently revised and updated by Adam Augustyn, Managing Editor. CITATION INFORMATIONARTICLE TITLE: John CabotWEBSITE NAME: Encyclopaedia BritannicaPUBLISHER: Encyclopaedia Britannica, Inc.DATE PUBLISHED: 05 November 2018URL: https://www.britannica.com/biography/John-CabotACCESS DATE: April 13, 2019 Why Did Italians Migrate to Canada? Italian citizens immigrated to Canada en masse in the 19th century seeking economic and social opportunities beyond what was available in their native country. Although Italians did move to Canada in smaller numbers before the 19th century, they mainly did so accidentally as either captives or as a result of being driven ashore en route to the United States by storms and natural events. In the nineteenth century, however, Italians began to migrate to Canada in search of economic prosperity and social freedom. At first, many sought work as physical laborers in fields such as mining and the coal industry. By the early 1900s, there was a well-established community of Italian immigrants living in Canada. They congregated primarily in the cities of Montreal and Toronto and formed communities in the surrounding suburbs. A large number of the earliest Italian migrants were successful in achieving a better socioeconomic status and encouraged family and friends to join them. Eventually, the number of Italian migrants outnumbered the quantity of jobs available in the fields of mining and physical labor, and although there was a period of general misfortune among Italian migrants, newcomers quickly found work opportunities in other areas, including music and the food industry. Some Italians went to Canada awaiting visas to join families already in America.  Such was the case with my Uncle.  Visit my blog on this topic.  Italian Immigration to Canada.  Some great home movies from the 1940’s. 1880 – 1914 First Large Wave During the mass migration beginning in the 1880s and continuing up to the Great War that saw millions of Italians emigrate to South America and the United States, a small but significant migration pattern entered Canada. Despite the Canadian governments preference for immigrants from northern Europe to settle and farm the Prairies, Italian workers still could be found all over Canada doing backbreaking seasonal work. Labour recruitment programs established by such major Canadian companies as Canadian Pacific Railway, Canadian National Railway and Dominion Coal Company brought workers in as almost chattel labour to work on railway construction, clearing bush in Canada’s hinterland or engaging in other forms of manual labour. Between the years 1901 and 1911 almost 2 million Italians arrived in the United Sates as compared to a the only 60,000 who came to Canada. In the minds of Italian migrants at the time the boundary between the two countries was irrelevant and many more may have just crossed into Canada following work opportunities and kinship chains. They were going to fare l’America to make a better life for themselves and their families. 1910 – 1924 Establishment of Neighborhoods “The Ward” in Toronto’s downtown develops a small community as seasonal workers in Ontario’s hinterland settle in the city during the winter. At first, settlements of Italians in Canadian cities tended to be predominantly male seasonal workers who returned to the cities after working to clear brush, set rails, or mine. Gradually as Toronto and other cities addressed the need for the urban infrastructure of sewers and trolley lines Toronto’s Italian population grew and settled more permanently. By 1910 sojourners were settlers working as stonemasons, tailors, bricklayers, and cobblers. Toronto contained several neighbourhoods known as “Little Italies” during this early period. The most important were first, the area around College and Grace Streets, second, Davenport Avenue and Dufferin Street and third, the Ward in the downtown bounded in the south by Queen Street (see map) where today Toronto’s city hall and the hospitals on University Avenue are located. 1924 – 1947 Inter War Years 1924 Italy restricts emigration. Canada restricts immigration. During the 1920s and 1930s immigration restrictions and regulations encouraged by racialist and xenophobic notions in Canadian public opinion and politics limited South European, hence Italian immigration. At the same time, fascist government policy in Italy viewed continuing, large-scale emigration as a national embarrassment. The Italian authorities enacted laws in 1924 and 1929 to impede Italian emigration. These legal changes and effects of the depression halted Italian immigration to Canada until after the Second World War. The British and Canadian press, governments and much of public opinion looked favourably upon Mussolini’s regime at first. While opposition to the Mussolini regime existed among some of Canada’s Italian population, others joined in patriotic events, clubs and associations, since it appeared that Mussolini might bring stability and prosperity to Italy as well as international recognition and respect. But, Mussolini’s aggression in Ethiopia in 1935 and other bellicose actions, turned public opinion in Britain, Canada and the United States. Italian Canadians themselves debated whether they could be both Canadians and Fascists.   1951 – 1961 Mass Wave 1951-1961 new Italian immigrants enter Canada in record numbers to help fuel Canada’s postwar economic boom. After 1945 when Canada’s heavy industry, construction and manufacturing sectors required labour, Canadian authorities continued the traditional racialist preference for northern European immigrants to meet the country’s demands. But, it soon became evident that southern Europeans were more likely to wish to emigrate to Canada. Old chain migration networks to Canada reopened and new ones began. Many Italian immigrants in Toronto began work as labourers or artisans in the expanding construction industry Facebook Twitter LinkedIn

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=6iAgrVVeGk4 In 1878, Italians from Salerno first arrived and made their homes on East 115th Street. Over the next twenty years, Italians from Southern Italy and Sicily moved into the area between 96th Street and 116th Street east of Lexington Ave., and between 116th Street and 125th Street east of Madison Ave. Originally it was known as Italian Harlem and later referred to as the first “Little Italy” in New York City. Our Lady of Mount Carmel on 115th Street and Pleasant Ave. was was and still is an important part of the neighborhood. The feast in honor of the Virgin Mary has been celebrated for over 100 years and during the 1930’s over 500,000 people would attend. Rao’s Restaurant on 114th St. has been serving customers since 1896 with authentic Neapolitan cooking. Patsy’s Pizza is another famous place and was an influence in the “Godfather. From Harlem’s Hidden History Join our Facebook Group The Italian’s that settled in Harlem came from many areas of Southern Italy including Bari, Sarno, Santiago Sicily and Calabria. The 1930 census showed that 81% of the area were Italians. Living conditions were poor and even into the late 1930’s many homes lacked a shower or private toilet. Overcrowding was the norm and in the 1920’s one block had over 5,000 residents. The exception was around 116th street where there were some one and two family residences and was known as “Doctor’s Row”. By the 1940’s the Italian’s owned most of the bakeries, fish, flower, fruit and vegetable stores. They also ran most of the grocery, music shoe stores garages and restaurants. Not surprisingly they had the lock on the funeral homes, coal and ice, tile and marble and barber shops. Between the Italians and the Jews, they cornered the candy and drug stores. There was a multitude of Italian organizations in the 1930’s. In fact, at one point there was one organization for every 225 adult men. Fiorello LaGuardia ran for Congress from that district in 1922 and at one point was the only Italian American in Congress. He lived there until 1943 when Gracie Mansion opened as the official home for the mayor of New York City. Vito Marcantonio served as the districts Congressman from 1934 to 1950. Over 50,000 Italian Americans still lived in East Harlem in 1950. The area began to change in 1947 when many of the old homes were raised to make room for large housing projects. From Italian Harlem Another great site for information and photos is italianharlem.com   Pick up your copy of my new book Buy Now