Forty years ago, this week an Italian American woman named Geraldine A Ferraro made history by being the FIRST woman to be nominated by a major political party to run for Vice President in the United States! In her acceptance speech, she said, "The daughter of an immigrant from Italy has been chosen to run for vice president in the new land my father came to love”.

On July 19, 1984, my dear friend, and the woman who pushed me to start the National Organization of Italian American, made us very proud. I vividly remember the CNN cameras in my apartment and Gerry’s Mom’s apartment and the tears I couldn’t control when she appeared on TV and said, “My name is Geraldine Ferraro, and I accept your nomination….”