Italian Heritage Month @Sachem Public Library

October is Italian Heritage Month! Celebrate all month @your library:

Leaving Little Italy: Last Words on a Locale

Tuesday, October 8   7:00pm

As long as there were Little Italys occupied by Americans of Italian descent, the histories and stories never died. Now that the great majority of Italian-Americans no longer live in Little Italys, it is the job of culture, and not geographic space, to maintain and transmit a cultural identity we can call Italian-American. Using storytelling and non-fictional techniques, Dr. Fred Gardaphe, Professor of Italian-American Studies at Queens College, will dramatize the life and death of America's Little Italys, and present a case for the impact these changes have had on Italian-American culture. This program, which is free and open to the public, is made possible through the support of the New York Council for the Humanities’ Speakers in the Humanities program.

Italian Genealogy

Wednesday, October 16   7:00pm

Looking for la famiglia? Get in touch with your Italian roots with Tony DiBartolo, President of the Italian Genealogy Group. Tony is passionate about genealogy, and will share tips and information about how to find your family records on both sides of the Atlantic. He will also discuss the requirements and the pitfalls of dual citizenship. You will be given tips about the most useful genealogical databases and websites, along with a handout on how to build your family tree.

A Tribute to Italian-American War Veterans & Heroes

Thursday, October 17   7:00pm 

Italian-American War Veterans will be honored for their contributions. Learn of their accomplishments and meet members of the Commission for Social Justice, the Anti-Defamation arm of the Order of Sons of Italy in America. Certificates will be awarded and a reception will follow.

Leonardo da Vinci: New Discoveries

Monday, October 21   7:00pm

SUNY Farmingdale Professor Thomas Germano will explore the great Renaissance artist and polymath Leonardo da Vinci, sharing insights into several recent major exhibitions, revealing restorations, new discoveries, and the hunt for a lost masterpiece beneath a fresco by Giorgio Vasari. He will also discuss the questions and controversies swirling around possible new attributions, showing several works which may or may not reveal significant involvement by the hand of the master.

All are welcome to attend these free events at the Sachem Public Library. For more information, or to register, call 631-588-5024.

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