Columns

Genealogists get a gift once a decade. Every ten years, the federal government takes the census, and 72 years later they release the full results to the public for use in genealogy research. Most people only remember the census as the time when the government asks us how many toilets we have etc. Most of us will probably not live long enough to see those census returns 72 years later. But last year we were given our decennial gift: the 1950 U.S. Census. When I started genealogy in the 1990s, there was basically no internet, and the census records certainly …

Every so often I run into someone with a Roseland past who share something with me in the last 15 years: an item, a name, a connection or a story. Then the conversation centers on what I did with what was shared with me. Many of the stories that were shared with me became parts of columns I have written. In many cases, the items end up on two entire bookshelves overflowing with Roseland, Pullman and Kensington memorabilia. The second bookcase is a recent addition that allowed me to display the sets of Pullman dishes and blankets and a Pullman …

Hear the band as they play a resounding rendition of the Italian National Anthem. Listen to the Marche Reale performed by the Piandelagotti band in the town square with vim and vigor reflecting their youthful enthusiasm. The coordinated effort offered a splendid meshing of alto and bass horns, beating drums et al. as the music resonated throughout the town’s center piazza and well beyond. The townspeople loudly applauded accompanied with shouts of bravo as the song hit its stirring ending. The town’s photographer, Signor Batti Piancentini, moved in to ready the band for a photo. He had positioned the big …

In 2019, we talked with Calabrese actor Fortunato Verduci about his role in the FX series “Trust,” his passion for the Calabrese culture, and keeping alive the region’s traditions of music and dance. He was later featured in the April 2020 issue. Now, Verduci has a new project; an enchanting music video celebrating the land he loves so much. The video is set in the Castello di Santo Niceto, an 11th-century Byzantine castle nestled on a hilltop in Motta San Giovanni in the province of Reggio Calabria. In this haunting setting, Verduci and model Maryame Jafire act out a tale …

Care lettrici e lettori, saluti da Roma! My name is Claudia Bortolani and I’m an attorney licensed to practice law in Italy and California. I’m a partner in Aliant Law, an international firm that provides assistance with all aspects of Italian law for its clients in Italy and abroad, including the U.S. Fra Noi has invited me to launch a column in which I answer question that Americans commonly ask about Italian law, whether they’re vacationing in Italy or buying a home there. I look forward to sharing my expertise with you. Let’s start with a basic question in real …

The readers of Fra Noi never cease to amaze me. Any time I’ve asked you to lend a hand in times of need, you’ve come through in spades. When you learned a couple of months ago that inflation had taken its toll on our bottom line, you didn’t miss a beat. Hundreds upon hundreds of you — more than 10% of our total readership — opened up your hearts and your pocketbooks, filling our coffers with funds sufficient to cover a mind-boggling 80% of our projected deficit for the year. Week after week, white envelopes have flooded into the Fra …

I eagerly await the coming of September every year, but this year feels special because it marks 15 years since I took over penning this column. I’ve covered topics ranging from the good old days of church processions and carnivals to the good times we had at the favorite places of our youth, like “The Ave” (Michigan Avenue). Many of the topics I’ve covered have resulted in online discussions and real-life visits to the nostalgic locations those columns mentioned. The greatest source of information and inspiration for this column is conversations and discussions I’ve been a part of. As everyone …

When starting on your home-buying adventure, there are many factors that folks often overlook until it’s too late. Cell Signal — Let’s face it, most homeowners are ditching landlines. If you rely on a cell phone for just about everything, check around indoors and out for your reception and service compatibility. Ask your provider to diagnose the cell signal. There are ways to improve tower communication should there be an issue. Water — Unless you’re a cold shower enthusiast, which also seems to be trending, you don’t want to find out the hard way that your hot water is nonexistent or …

Last month, I explained how our ancestors married people from their town of birth a large percentage of the time. This was a byproduct of transportation difficulties, and the custom of arranged marriages, among other reasons. So before entering the once-indissoluble state of Holy Matrimony, a series of documents were assembled to verify that the marriage would be legitimate and could not be challenged. One type of document was the marriage banns, known in Italy as the pubblicazioni. These were used to tell the town that these two people wanted to marry (or their parents wanted them to marry), and …

A tragic story based on true events, Giuseppe De Santis’ 1952 “Roma ore 11” (Rome 11:00) follows several young women in post-WWII Rome as they answer a single job listing for a typist. When 200 women are in line on one staircase spanning several floors, a crack leads to the collapse of the entire staircase. Dozens were injured, and one person was killed. The tragedy spoke to the poverty and desperation of so many Italians in the early 1950s before the ’58 industrial boom began. The prolific screenwriter Cesare Zavattini contributed to the script, which was based on testimonials. Filmmaker …