Close

The State of Mississippi and City of Vicksburg honored five Italians who were lynched just across the Mississippi River in Tallulah, La., on July 20, 1899. Five Italian men who owned grocery stores in town, were seized by a mob of local residents and publicly hanged. The men honored are Giuseppe Di Fatta, Francesco Di Fatta, Pasquale Di Fatta, Giov...

1589

Pelicans forward Nicolò Melli has seen his playing time cut in his second NBA season and he may be looking for a way out of New Orleans, according to a report from Sportando. The story first appeared in the Italian publication La Gazzetta dello Sport, which states that Melli is waiting for an opportunity with a new team. The 30-year-old has gotten...

788

Award-winning singer Lena Prima is the youngest daughter of music icon Louis Prima and his singing sidekick (and fifth wife), Gia Maione. A Las Vegas native, Lena spent much of her childhood in her father’s hometown of New Orleans, where she now resides and performs regularly. With seven albums to her credit, her sixth and seventh on Basin Street R...

1090

They've been a tradition since the late 1800s, when Sicilian immigrants settled in New Orleans, and they're still going on, pandemic aside. Elaborate St. Joseph's Altars are unveiled every March 19, as Catholics mark the feast day of the saint who provided relief during a famine in Sicily. There are some changes: Fewer meals will be served, and mas...

1107

On Oct. 15, 1890, New Orleans police chief David Hennessey was shot as he was walking home late at night. Hennessey returned fire, but was mortally wounded. When police captain William O’Connor asked him, “Who gave it to you, Dave?” Hennessey whispered “dagoes,” a racist term for Italians. “ASSASSINATED,” read the front-page headline on the New Orl...

1689

The Italian American St. Joseph Society parade and gala are canceled this year, as mass gatherings are prohibited under coronavirus regulations, the society announced this week. It's the second year the events have been called off due to the pandemic. The 51-year-old organization plans the parade through the French Quarter every year, and follows i...

539

Volunteers who have been building a St. Joseph’s Altar at the Immaculate Conception Catholic Church for more than two decades recently announced that this year’s celebration honoring St. Joseph has been canceled due to continuing concerns about the possible spread of the coronavirus. Rosie Moak, who has chaired the erection of the altar and the ext...

855

Volpi Foods announces a new website and packaging for the 119-year-old St. Louis-based, 4th-generation family-owned and operated producer of specialty cured meats. Volpi’s new look brings to life the family cured and crafted brand, highlighting the company’s heritage and dedication to quality. Customers will begin to find the bold, updated branding...

454

Throughout his long career, Louis Prima was a New Orleans-based trumpeter, a good-humored singer, and a lovable personality. While his wide-ranging career can easily be divided into three periods, Prima’s image was always consistent. He both celebrated and made fun of his Italian heritage, displayed the influence of Louis Armstrong in both his sing...

1422

On this week’s episode of the Italian American Podcast, we’re going back to the Big Easy to chat with our friends Lena Prima and Charles Marsala to get an inside look at their new web-TV series, “Buona Sera Louisiana,” a weekly show about the Italian culture of the Pelican State and beyond! These two Italian American champions are no strangers to o...

994