In observance of Columbus Day and in recognition of the contributions made by the Sons and Daughters of Italy lodges and Carini I.O.D., we are introducing a resolution recognizing the month of October 2025 as “Italian-American Heritage Month” in Pennsylvania.
 
Italian explorer Christopher Columbus began his transatlantic voyages in 1492, completing four journeys that led to European awareness of the American continents. His expeditions sparked centuries of exploration and migration, laying the foundation for future waves of immigration to the New World.
 
By the early 20th century, tens of thousands of Italian immigrants arrived in Pennsylvania, taking on demanding roles in railroad construction, tunnel excavation, stone quarrying, and steel manufacturing. Their labor fueled the Commonwealth’s industrial rise from steelworkers in Pittsburgh, to stonemasons in Hershey, to bridge builders in Philadelphia.
 
“Little Italy” neighborhoods from Bloomfield to South Philadelphia preserve beloved Italian traditions, in addition to other cultural institutions that still stand today:
 

• St. Mary Magdalen de Pazzi Church in Philadelphia, established in 1852, became the nation’s first Italian parish and a cornerstone of Italian religious life.
• Lega Toscana di Protezione, a mutual beneficial society founded in 1915 to preserve Tuscan immigrants’ heritage, continues their efforts through the Heinz History Center’s Italian-American Program today.
• Primanti Brothers Restaurant, known for their famous sandwiches, began in 1933 when Joe Primanti, the son of Italian immigrants, operated a food cart serving Pittsburgh’s late-night workers and quickly became a regional icon.

 
Today, the Italian-American community remains as one of Pennsylvania’s most prominent ethnic groups. Organizations such as the Grand Lodge of Pennsylvania Sons and Daughters of Italy, the Order Sons and Daughters of Italy in America, the State Lodge of Pennsylvania, and Carini I.O.D. have worked for generations to preserve Italian culture and promote a positive image of Italian heritage throughout the Commonwealth.

Please join us in co-sponsoring this resolution and celebrating “Italian-American Heritage Month” in Pennsylvania.