Free Book: In Search of Family: Why Ellis Island Said No to Francesco Amuso & Family-ASIN B0131BC4H4

By Laurence Amuso

To all the Amusos out there (and other interested parties). Many of you probably heard of a relative that officials at Ellis Island forced to return to Italy. That relative was my grandfather’s brother. In short, he had come to America two times, built a successful business, paid income tax, and was a productive legal immigrant. He went home in January of 1924 and months later returned with wife and two children. When they arrived at the Island the officials refused them entry into the United States.  He had two brothers and a sister living here. Nevertheless, I was able to meet the descendants of the family and write a book about the whole incident. Thanks to the National Archives, who still had the records of his hearings at the Island. I have put the book on promotion at Amazon where you can down load it for free.

The Promotion starts April 1 to April 5. After reading please send me some comments. State Bene.

Anthony Stephen Fauci

Fauci is an Italian American immunologist who has been the director of the National Institute of Allergy and Infectious Diseases (NIAID) under the National Institute of Health, (NIH) and recently a member of the Coronavirus Task Force appointed by the President of the United States. Fauci is a physician and has been directly involved in public health for over fifty years. Prior to his recognition of working in this recent pandemic, he has been involved in the on- going research in the cure for HIV/AIDs, which has made significant advances in its treatment. In 2018 he presented a report on those advances stating a classic cure is underway. At present the HIV/AID patient needs to take medicine (called ART) on a daily basis to keep the virus at bay. In a major national newspaper company recognized Fauci as the nation’s leading expert on infectious diseases. He has turned down several offers over the years to become the director of the NIH.

Since, joining the NIH, in 1968 as a clinical associate in the Laboratory of Clinical Investigation and National institute of Allergy and Infectious Diseases, he has held three different position. The last since 1984 as Director of NIAID.  His responsibility in this role is for an extensive research portfolio of the basic study on infectious and immune-mediated illnesses. He has also lead the NIH if the United States efforts to contend with viral diseases like HIV, SARS, the 2009 Swine influenza pandemic, MERS (Middle East Respiratory Syndrome), Ebola, and this new Coronavirus, another acute respiratory syndrome, i.e., coronavirus 2.

Fauci has made a number of other scientific observations and contribution to the treatment and cure of many diseases. He developed therapies for formerly fatal diseases such polyarthritis nodosa, granulomatosis with ployangiitis and lymphomatoid granulomatosis.

The Institute for Scientific Information, reported that of those who published articles in scientific journals, Fauci was the 13^th most-cited scientist among the 2.5 to 3 million authors in all disciplines throughout the world.  Fauci is a member of a number of professional scientific organizations and since 1979 has received over eleven awards in recognition of his achievements and contributions to the science of health. In 2008 President Obama bestowed the Presidential Medal of Freedom to him on June 19, 2008.

Fauci was born in Brooklyn, New York, on December 24, 1940. His parent were Stephen A. Fauci and Eugenia A. Fauci.  His grandparents, Antonino Fauci and Calogera Guardino were from Sciacca, Sicily and Raffaella Trematerra was from Naples and her husband Givoanni Abys was from Switzerland. He was a commercial artist.  Fauci’s parents operated a pharmacy. His father was the pharmacist; his sister and mother ran the cash register and Fauci delivered prescriptions. 

Fauci attended the College of the Holy Cross where he achieved a Bachelor of Science Degree and at Cornell University for his Medical Degree. He married Christine Grady in 1985 and has three daughters. Since becoming the director of NAID in 1984 he has served under six presidents, four republicans and two democrats.

CARNEVALE

The Carnevale festival derives from an ancient Latin feast called Lupercalia, a festival held around 15th of February before the coming of Christianity. The feast was in honor of Lupa, the she-wolf who suckled Romulus and Remus, the mythical founders of ancient Rome.

The priests, luperci (brothers of the wolf) conducted a ceremony dressed in goatskins. The feast began with the sacrifice of a dog and two goats. After the sacrificial rite, two priests approached an altar where another priest took the knife used to kill the dog and goats, and anointed their foreheads with the bloody knife.

The anointer then took a wool cloth, dipped in milk, and wiped their foreheads and the knife. After cleaning the forehead, the continuing ritual required the two priests to smile and laugh. Following that, the priests cut thongs of skin (called februa) of the animals slain and ran along the city walls waving them. Spectators would position themselves close enough for the flailing februa to strike them. This ritual, many believed, would drive away evil spirits, ensure fertility in young girls and women, prevent sterility and relieve the pains of child-birthing.

It is interesting to note, at this point, that the month of February received its name from februa, and the Italian word carnevale (pronounced car–nay- vah-lay) comes from the Latin carnelevarum, meaning, to remove the flesh. The English word is carnival.

This ritual continued until 494 AD, when Pope Gelasius did away with the februa rite and replaced it with a Christian ceremony of purification and sacrifice (lent). The festivities that occurred prior to lent, spread throughout the Roman Catholic world. Lent is a time of sacrifice and many interpreted the Latin word to remove the flesh, also as meat free.

Carnevale was mainly a Roman feast; however, over time Venice became a city renowned for its celebrations. There a unique cultural phenomenon developed where the well-to-do residents of the city randomly throughout the year wore masks while engaging in questionable behavior.

The Signoria, the city council, frowned upon these behaviors and passed laws restricting the times of the year for the wearing of disguises. They allowed them between the twenty-sixth of December, St. Stephen’s Day, and on up to and including the day before the beginning of lent, Shrove Tuesday. Consequently, that day became a greater day of merriment and indulgence than those leading up to it.

 That Tuesday goes by many names, Fat Tuesday, Shrove Tuesday, Martedí Grasso, in Italian, and Mardi Gras, in French. Both Italian and French terms mean Fat Tuesday. Fat and meat, two major foods used before lent become taboo during the Lenten period. Shrove is an old English word meaning to obtain absolution. Among many English-speaking countries, it is also known as Pancake Day, the last day to cook pancakes since pancakes are cooked using fat.

Members of the poorer classes also wore masks, allowing them to mix freely with aristocrats. The mask was a great equalizer for revelry. Today many consider Venice a leader in celebrating Carnevale; however, two other cities are renowned for their celebrations, Rio de Janeiro, Brazil and New Orleans, Louisiana.

In Venice the main festivities take place in St. Mark’s square. The activities are parades with floats, people marching in costumes, people dancing, orators spouting their ideas, individuals performing acrobatics, people engaging in varied antics, and there is dining, and music. The major theme of the music for the festival is Vivaldi’s Four Seasons.

The origins of Mardi Gras in the United States lie in Mobile, Alabama, dating back to 1703, making it the oldest annual Carnival celebration in America. Nicholas Langlois, a Frenchman, initiated it in Mobile, the year after it became the capital of French Louisiana. It was a traditional French Catholic activity. Over the years it evolved across the many different cultural, religious, and governmental aspects of the city to become what it is today. In recognition of the popularity of the event, the Monday and Tuesday of the week of Mardi Gras, are system wide school holidays. Below is a 1900, poster parade float of King Felix and entourage. And Venetian revelers.

Felix is the Latin word for joy. 

FRANCO HARRIS

 

Harris, a notable former American football player, is an Afro-Italian American, his father, Cadillac (Cad) Harris, was an American Negro and his mother, Gina Parenti, an Italian war bride from Lucca, Italy. Harris is one of nine children. Harris was born at Fort Dix, New Jersey on March 7, 1950. He grew up in Burlington County, New Jersey where he graduated from Roncocas Valley Regional High School in Mount Holly Township in 1968. After graduation he attended Penn State University and played for their football team, the Nittany Lions. At the time he weighed 230 pounds and was six foot two in height. On offense, he served as a full back and on defense as a blocker for Lydell Mitchell. Both were later to become celebrated professional football players. As a blocker he gathered almost 1400 yards on the board and fourteen touchdowns. He was the leading scorer of his team.

After graduation, in 1972, the Pittsburg Steelers selected him from the NFL draft. Many felt that they should have drafted Mitchell instead. Nevertheless, The Baltimore Colts selected Mitchell in the same draft.

Any of the doubts of those that opposed his draft were soon changed because Harris’ first year was one of outstanding performance. He began his first season by carrying the ball 188 times, running the ball for ten touchdowns and caught three touchdown passes. Because of this Sporting News and United Press International named him as NFL’s, “Rookie of the Year.” After his first season Pittsburgh’s Italian American community fans became “Franco’s Italian Army. Many wore helmets with his number “32” on them.

Harris played for thirteen more seasons. Twelve of these were with the Pittsburgh Steelers. His last season was preceded by a financial disagreement with the Rooney family who were the owners and managers of the team. He resigned and played one season for the Seattle Seahawks in 1984, he then retired.

During his tenure with the Steelers he helped them win four Super Bowls, in 1975, 1976, 1979, and 1980.  In the Bowl of 1975, Steelers defeated the Minnesota Viking 16-6, he played so well he received the MVP award. He was the first African American as well as first Italian American to receive the award.

Many remember Harris for his catch called, “the Immaculate Reception,” labeled as such by a sports news reporter. In a 1972, playoff game, the Steelers were behind the Oakland Raiders 7-6 with twenty-two seconds left on the clock. Terry Bradshaw threw a pass to Steelers receiver, John Fuqua, but Oakland’s Jack Tatum deflected it as he was tackling Fuqua. While the ball was in the air, Harris caught it just before it was about to hit the ground. He scooped it up and ran sixty yards for a touchdown. The referees discussed whether it was a legitimate catch, and decided it stood. The crowd was ecstatic. Harris’ success gave the Steelers their first ever playoff win.

In 1990, the Pro Foootball Hall of Fame inducted Harris, and in 2011, the New Jersey Hall of Fame recognized him for his service and contributions to the sport.

Harris has a son Franco Dokmanvich Harris Jr. born 1979, birthed by his longtime companion Dana Dokmnovich. In 2009, “Dok” ran for the Mayor of Pittsburg, but lost. He received twenty-five point three percent of a three way election. The incumbent ran away with fifty-five percent.

Harris came from a large family, his siblings are Piero, Luana, Alvara, Daniela, Mario, Marisa, and Giuseppe. His brother Piero (Pete) Harris, who also was a collegiate football player, died from a heart attack on August 15, 2006, at the age of forty-nine.

Currently, Harris owns, along with Lydell Mitchell, a bakery and sausage factory in the Pittsburgh area. He is involved in and provides funding to Penn Staters for Responsible Stewardship and serves as part of the advisory board at Penn State’s Center for Food Innovation. His Super Bakery, produces nutrition-oriented foods for school children. In 2006, The Heinz History Center, home of the Western Pennsylvania Sports Museum, installed a life-size statue of Harris at the Pittsburgh International Airport’s grand concourse. His jersey number “32” Officially has not been retired; nevertheless, it has not been issued to any other player. For photograph display one can go to Amazon.com or easily surf the web for a multitude of pictures. Enjoy!

Val Camonica

VAL CAMONICA CITY AND VALLEY    

In the eastern province of Lombardia, Italy, one of the largest valleys in the central Alps, is the valley of Val Camonica. It extends from Tonale Pass to Corna Trentapssi in Pisogne, one of the fifteen communes around Lago d’Iseo. Pisgone sits at the northern end where the Oglio River flows through the valley before entering the Iseo. The local residents call the lake, Sebino from the original Latin name Sebinus.

Val Camonica’s name derives from the Latin Vallis Camunnorum, meaning the “Valley of the Camunni,” a people who were living there at the time of Roman conquest. Where these original people came from is unknown; nevertheless, they left a significant legacy. Most impressive is the rock art. There are some 300,000 petroglyphs, making it the largest center of rock art in Europe. The chronology of these rock carvings pass through four ages, beginning with: the Palaeolithic-post Palaeolithic carved figures of game, elk and deer. Next is the Neolithic or onset of the copper age, these appear to be maps.  The Copper Age (2800 to 2200 BC), consists of carved figures of people and cattle plowing fields, of pigs, game, trees, and weapons. The Bronze Age art figures (2200-800 BC) consists of weapons, daggers and axes, and people praying. The Iron Age, (800-16 BC), there was an upsurge in the rock art, constituting, approximately 80% of all extant figures. These are scenes of duels, horse riding warriors, hunters, field plowing, dogs, birds, houses, Etruscan inscriptions, swords, snakes, and spears. There is a large concentration of these at the Naquane National Park of Engraved Rock located in the valley.

Another legacy left by residents of Val Cammonica, from the Renaissance Period, were two witch trials. These are included in the list of the biggest ones occurring in Italy. These occurred in the years from 1505 to 1510 and again from 1518 to1521. These trials brought about the death of sixty persons in each trial. The major source of information about them is from a Venetian Marin Sanudo, who was the chronicler to the Council of Ten, the governing body of the Republic of Venice during the trials. However, the Bishop of Brescia, Giacinto Gaggia, had the court’s recorded documentary evidence of the trials destroyed to prevent use by anticlerical opposition.

Christianity spread into the area around the 5^th century. Despite a three hundred year establishment the area was still suspect as being pagan into the 8^th century. Apparently, that suspicion continued into the next millennia causing the trials.

Prior to the occurrences in Val Camonica, the inquisition burned witches in South Tirol and in Valtellina. An inquisitor, Antonio da Brescia complained about the heresy and witch craft happening in Val Camonica. Subsequently, on June 23, 1505, the inquisition burned seven women and one man in the commune of Cemmo. In 1510 sixty men and women confessed to having injured people, animals, and land with their spells and that Satan helped them to cause fires. The literature indicates the trials put sixty-four persons to death and imposed other forms of punishment upon those not condemned to the pillory.  

The second trial occurred from 1518-1521. During the first few months of 1518, the judicial process led by Bishop Peter Durante, who presided at the court of inquisition, stationed investigators at the various parishes of the valley. The investigators reported that some women, in the towns confessed to having spread a “powder” from Satan in the air, causing sicknesses and the death of some two-hundred people. The inquisitors accused some of spreading the plague by magic and some of causing thunder and lightning. The court burned sixty men and women at the stake. One-hundred and seventy-one years later, the witch trials began in Salem Massachusetts, the hearings and prosecutions of individuals accused of witchcraft occurred from February 1692-May 1693. Of the two-hundred people accused of witchcraft, nineteen (14 women and 5 men) were found guilty and hanged. See attached photographs. If you would like to leave a comment simply click on comment and a form will appear for you to do so.

 

 ROY CAMPANELLA

Campanella, known, in his prime as Campy, was an Italian–African American baseball player of fame. His father, John, was of Sicilian descent and his mother, Ida, of Negro heritage. He was born on November 19, 1921 in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania and passed away on June 26, 1993 at the age of 71 in Woodland Hills, California.  Campanella had two older sisters, Gladys, and Doris and an older brother Lawrence. When he was born the family lived in Germantown section of the city and when he was seven years old they moved to an area of the city known as Nicetown. This community was a mix of races thus he attended schools with members reflecting the same. Due to his light-complexion many fellow students called him “half-breed.” Some writers conjecture that this experience toughened him to life leading him to fight as a Golden Glove Boxer.

Campanella’s teenage years occurred during the great depression. His father made a living by selling vegetable and fish from a truck. He later opened and operated a grocery store. Campanella did his share for the family by working with his father, and shining shoes, selling newspapers. He, at some point, had a milk route.

In high school he played foot, basket, and baseball, and quite often the team mates chose him as captain in whatever team sport he engaged. However, his passion was for baseball.

As a high school student, word of his baseball abilities spread and the Phillies allegedly offered him a chance to work out with them, but upon learning he was black, they rescinded the invite. Nevertheless, at the age of 16 he dropped out of high school and in that year, 1937, he began his professional baseball career with the semipro team, the Bacharach Washington Elite Giants of the Negro League.  His mother was not so keen on the idea of him working with adult men, but when she learned he would make more money in one weekend than her husband made in a week she consented. His career developed quickly; by 1939, as a 17 year old, he took over the regular catching chores and helped lead the giants to playoff victories over the Newark Eagles and Homestead Grays. The team later moved to Baltimore and Campanella became a star player. By 1941 he won the MVP honors as the star of the 1941 Negro League East-West All-Star Game. He was a versatile talented ballplayer, but catching was his primary role. Many considered him as the greatest catcher in the history of baseball.

In 1942 and 1943, Campanella played in the Mexican League with the Monterrey Sultans. Following that he went on a South American tour. By 1946, Campanella moved into the Brooklyn Dodger’s minor league system, which was preparing to break the MLB color barrier with the positioning of Jackie Robinson, whom they assigned to the Montreal Royals, an affiliate in the Class AAA International League. Meanwhile, the team sought to assign Campanella to a Class B League. But, the general manager of the Danville Dodgers of the Illinois-Indiana-Iowa League believed the organization was not ready for racial integration. Thus they sent Campanella   to the Nashua Dodgers Class B New England League. The first American League to present a professional baseball integrated line up.

Soon after his acceptance, during a game the manager Walter Alston was ejected and Campanella took over and became the first African American to manage Caucasian players of organized professional baseball. Jackie Robinson’s first year in the major league was in 1947, and the following year Campanella began his MLB career with the Brooklyn Dodgers.  He played with them until 1957. During his tenure he played in the All-Star-Game every year from 1949 on. He hit home runs in five straight games in 1950. He received the MVP award in the National League three times: in 1951, 1953, and 1955. Campanella’s career ended after suffering injuries from a vehicle accident in which it paralyzed him from the neck down. However, with therapy he was eventually able to regain use of his arms and hands. He remained involved in baseball as a scouting supervisor and coach. In 1969, the Baseball Hall of Fame inducted Campanella, the second African American after Jackie Robinson, so honored. Campanella died on June 26, 1993 at the age of 71 in Woodland Hills, California. His MLB batting average was: 276, home runs 242, and runs batted in 856. Below are photographs of him, one in his younger playing days and one from 1961. For more detailed information see Society For American Baseball Research https://sabr.olrg/bioproj/plerson/a52ccbb5, and Wikipedia.

 

Frank Charles Carlucci III GCIH

GCIH – The Grand Cross Order of Prince Henry. (Ordem do Infante Dom Henrique)

Carlucci was a politician and diplomat who was the United States Secretary of Defense from 1987 until 1989. He served under President Ronald Reagan. Carlucci was born in Scranton, Pennsylvania on October 18, 1930 and was the son of Roxanne Bacon Carlucci and Frank Charles Carlucci. His father was of Swiss-Italian descent. Carlucci attended the Wyoming Seminary, a Methodist college preparatory school located in the Wyoming Valley of Northeastern Pennsylvania. He graduated in 1948 and in 1952 attended Princeton University where he achieved an AB (Artium Baccalaureatus). Here he roomed with Donald Rumsfeld. Note of interest an AB and a BA Baccalureate of Arts. Baccalaureate evolved into Bachelor, of which we have of the Arts or of the Sciences. The English word Bachelor originally referred to the person.

In 1954 -55 he went to Harvard Business School for an MBA (Master of Business Administration).  Prior to that he served as a lieutenant in the U.S. Navy from 1952-1954.  He followed that joining the Foreign Service, working for the State Department. In 1961, Carlucci was the second secretary of the United States Embassy in the Congo and a covert CIA agent. While there political rivals executed Patrice Lumumba, the first prime minister of the independent Congo. Later released documents demonstrated that President D. Eisenhower, ordered his execution; however, others accomplished the deed instead.  Nevertheless, a fictionalized film about the incident, depicted Carlucci as involved in the assassination. Carlucci adamantly denied the claims of his involvement and succeeded through court processes to have his name removed before the public release of the film.

Governmental positions held by Carlucci over the years, beyond his initial military service, his primary embassy position, and CIA operative positions were: 4^th Director of the Office of Economic Opportunity 1971-1972, United States Ambassador to Portugal 1975-1978, 13^th Deputy Director of the Central, Intelligence Agency 1978-1981, 18^th United States Deputy Secretary of Defense 1981-1982, 15^th United States National Security Advisor 1986-1987 and 16^th United States Secretary of Defense 1987-1989.

During his term as Ambassador to Portugal, the people remembered him as among the winners of the November 25th Coup d’Etat. For his role, in maintaining good relations and playing a prominent role after the Carnation Revolution officials changed the name of the American International School of Lisbon, to “The Carlucci American International School of Lisbon” in his honor. It is the oldest American school in the Iberian Peninsula.

Carlucci was married twice, his first wife was Jean Anthony 1954-1974, and his second was Marcia Myers 1976.  He had three children, two with his first wife and one with his second. His political affiliation was republican. He died on June 3, 2018 at the age of 87.