City Celebrates Columbus Day at McCabe Park
By Robin Vinci at October 17, 2023 | 8:15 am | Print
Many City officials gathered Monday at McCabe Park near the Columbus Monument on the corner of Main, Broad and North Streets to honor Christopher Columbus.
The City of New Britain, the Italian Heritage Foundation, the Columbian Foundation, Generale Ameglio and General Tomasso’s Order Sons of Italy all put wreaths around the monument. Peter Denuzze made the opening prayer.
Mayor Erin Stewart who was introduced by Master of Ceremonies Alderman Carlo Carlozzi using her mother’s Italian maiden name, as Erin “Badolato” Stewart, said it was her honor to be there.
“Since 1934 when Pres. Franklin Delano Roosevelt first proclaimed today a national holiday, our entire nation has observed Columbus Day marking the meeting of the old world and the new. It is a day or particular pride for Italian Americans and a day in which we recognized the contributions of the people with Italian descent in our country and right here in our own community,” said Stewart. “From the beginning of our country Italian Americans have brought honor upon themselves by enriching our City of New Britain.”
Stewart said the Italian heritage has left an imprint on every aspect of the City.
Seven of New Britain’s Mayors are of Italian descent in Angelo Paonessa, Joseph Morelli, Al Poltis, Paul Manafort, Matt Avitable, Don DeFronzo and Erin Stewart.
The 2014-15 Common Council has six Italian Aldermen in Lou Salvio, Don Naples, Don Salerno, Carlo Carlozzi, Jamie Giantonio and David DeFronzo.
“That may be a record in recent years,” said Stewart. “New Britain has been blessed with scores of leaders with Italian ancestry, business people, religious leaders, labor leaders and thousand of other good working men and women that helped build New Britain into the great City that it is. I, myself, am a proud Italian American.”
Alderman Carlozzi told the crowd that 29 United States Cities bear the name Columbus and there are 232 memorials that honor Columbus.
“Generations of school children studied Columbus’ life and accomplishments. Teachers held him up as an example of a person of character who overcame strong opposition and great disappointment, but never gave up trying to prove what he believed to be true,” said Carlozzi. “Unfortunately, today many are trying to revise history and paint Columbus in a different light as opposed to taking all that he accomplished and putting it into perspective of the times in which he lived over 500 years ago.”
Carlozzi said Columbus’ voyage of 522 years ago changed the world forever and that same route that was chartered in the 15th century is still used today.
“He is especially important to the nation’s 26 million Italian Americans,” said Carlozzi. “Today, the grandchildren and great grandchildren of the original Italian immigrants constitute the 5th largest ethnic group according to a recent US census. For the Italian community, Columbus Day is an opportunity to celebrate our heritage and to look at the contributions Italian Americans have made to the United States and indeed in our great City.”
