A Look at AMHS Programs in Recent Years

As my 11 years of organizing programs for the AMHS came to an end on December 31, 2024, I thought our members might be interested in seeing an overview of the programs we have had.  In planning the programs, I always looked to further the educational, cultural, and social goals of the Society, and in the process, I was fortunate to meet many wonderful speakers, many of whom I most likely would not otherwise have met.  Of course, I had important assistance along the way, especially from Maria D’Andrea-Yothers, Peter Bell, Lynn Sorbara, Maria Marigliano, and Julie Finigan Dal Forno.  It was always a team effort! And of course, many thanks to all those who helped in so many ways and to our AMHS members and guests who supported our programs over the past 11 years.
For a quick trip down memory lane, here is the list of our programs.
AMHS Events Held at Casa Italiana in Recent Years
Selected AMHS Luncheon Programs
2024
Roman coin expert Michael Markowitz on the history of Roman coins and the legacy of Roman coins on American coinage (January 2024)
New York sculptor John Belardo on the legacy of the six immigrant Piccirillo brothers who carved the Lincoln Monument and the stone lions of the New York Public Library, among their masterpieces (May 2024)
Italian sculptor and art teacher David Prete on his career in metalsmithing, jewelry making, public sculptures, and innovative 3D printing (September 2024)

2023
Nobel Prize winner Dr. John Mather on his experience as the chief scientist in charge of the James Webb Space Telescope project (January 2023)
Daniel Piazza (AMHS member), chief curator of the Smithsonian’s National Postal Museum, on the history of Italian stamps and the Italian postal service (June 2023)
Carmine Vittoria on his book “Once Upon a Hill” about two Italian immigrants from a small town near Naples. Their lives in the United States took very different paths. Also, his book “Hidden in Plain Sight” about the internment camps during World War II in remote areas of southern Italy. He grew up in a small town near Naples and is a retired quantum physics professor. (September 2023) (Note: There was a brief performance by Giorgio Consolati, AMHS music scholarship winner, who played the flute with piano accompaniment and who is studying for his doctorate at Peabody Conservatory in Baltimore.

2022
Carla Gambescia on lesser-known aspects of Italian culture followed by a trivia game. She is an expert on Italian culture who has hiked and biked all 20 regions of Italy, and is the author of “La Dolce Vita University” (March 2022)
Amy Riolo, noted chef, author, and TV personality, with a panel of Italian chefs, food experts, and entrepreneurs, to discuss the Mediterranean diet and why Italian cuisine is healthy (May 2022)
Dr. Eric Denker, senior lecturer at the National Gallery of Art for 40 years, on four important Venetian Renaissance artists (September 2022)
(Fewer programs due to Covid pandemic)
2021
Steven Livengood, chief visitor guide of the U.S. Capitol Historical Society, on Constantino Brumidi and the Italian connection to the U.S. Capitol (October 2021)
(Fewer programs due to Covid pandemic)
2020
Paul Paolicelli, author and documentary film maker, on “how Italians changed America,” and how Italians eventually became accepted in American culture and society (January 2020)
(Fewer programs due to Covid pandemic)
2019
Anna Harwell Celenza, Georgetown University professor, on “Jazz Italian style” and on how jazz went from New Orleans to fascist Italy to Frank Sinatra (January 2019)
Carmine Vittoria on his book “Bitter Chicory, Sweet Espresso” describing his difficult boyhood as a shepherd during World War II in Avella, a town near Naples. He is a retired physics professor and an award-winning bocce player (June 2019)
Vespa Roduno honoring Abruzzese inventor of the Vespa, Corradino D’Ascanio. and talk by Willy Meaux, former AMHS member, on the Vespa’s origins and popularity (September 2019)
2018
Sara Gay Forden on her book “House of Gucci: A Sensational Story of Murder, Madness, Glamour, and Greed” which was made into a movie directed by Ridley Scott and starring Lady Gaga (January 2018)
Mike DeBonis, AMHS member, on his journalism career. As a Washington Post congressional reporter, he gave an inside look at covering Washington politics and his travels to Abruzzo (July 2018)
2017
Embassy First Counselor Catherine Flumiani on the beauty of the Italian language and promoting the Italian language as a part of Italy’s rich heritage (January 2017)
Ceil Lucas, a sociolinguist, author, and Italian teacher at the Casa Italian Language School, on her genealogical book “How I Got Here: A Memoir” (March 2017)
Thomas Gugliemo, George Washington University professor, on the history of Italian immigration and his book “White on Arrival” on race and ethnicity (June 2017)
Katherine Wilson, author of “Only in Naples: Lessons in Food & Famiglia from My Italian Mother-in-Law,” her life story about going to Naples, marrying a Neapolitan man, and then falling in love with her mother-in-law (July 2017)
2016
Geologist Barry Centini on Italian volcanoes and how the geology of Italy affected its history (January 2016)
Military Attache Colonel Rodolfo Sganga on the Italian Army, with a PowerPoint presentation on its combat and peacekeeping activities in Afghanistan (March 2016)
Carla Kosciuszko, a professor of Italian art, on the significance of Etruscan civilization on ancient Italy (May 2016)
Laura Benedetti, professor at Georgetown University’s Department of Italian Studies, on her book “Un paese di carte” (A country of paper) about three generations of women who went from Abruzzo to the United States (September 2016)
2015
Major Elio Manes on the Bersaglieri who are elite Italian solders (January 2015)
Paul Paolicelli on his book “Under the Southern Sun” on how Italians changed the United States and his three years in Italy researching origins of Italian immigration from southern Italy. He is an author, documentary film maker, and former news director of NBC-TV Channel 4 in Washington, D.C.) (March 2015)
Tyler Anbinder, George Washington University professor, on the history of Italian immigration and his book “Five Points” on Italian immigration to New York City (May 2015)
Songs and Food of Naples, including showing of the film “Cuore Napolitano” (Neapolitan Heart) (September 2015)
2014
Roberto Severino, AMHS member and chairman emeritus of the Georgetown University Department of Italian Studies, on controversial Abruzzese poet Gabriele D’Annunzio (January 2014)
Nobel Prize winner Dr. John Mather on his experience as the 2006 physics winner for the Big Bang theory. He was a colleague of AMHS member Joe Novello and later he gave a personal tour of Goddard Space Flight Center to 12 attendees. (March 2014).
3 local Italian artists—Antonio Bianchini, an AMHS member, on mosaics; Raffaele DeGregorio on painting: and Roberto Paolinelli on ceramics (July 2014)
Paul Paolicelli, author and former TV news producer, on his life-changing experience living in southern Italy and researching his family roots as described in his book “Dances with Luigi” (September 2014)

Other AMHS Programs at Casa Italiana:
Ensemble Sangineto concert with a trio of Italian singers and musicians who performed traditional songs of the 20 regions of Italy (October 2023)
Annual wine-tasting events every November, usually with participation by Washington Winemakers. The event suspended for 2020-2021 because of the Covid pandemic. Level I Sommelier Zachary Casagrande was the speaker in 2023 and 2024
Exhibit of World War II items brought here by Italian immigrants, such as flat irons, coffee makers, and shoes made from sliced tire treads with leather laces, the type made by our late AMHS member Nick Ferrante
Louis Aldo DeSanti, my father and an AMHS member, on his book “The U.S. and Mussolini” based on the captured papers of Mussolini which he translated himself (June 2012)
Zampognari playing the shepherd’s bagpipes while strolling among the audience
Various musical and social events, often with music by Sergio Fresco on accordion and vocals.

AMHS off-site programs
Author Ronald Capalaces on his book “When All the Men Were Gone” about his World War II memories at the Pines of Florence restaurant in Washington, DC (July 2024)
John Michael Howard, Licensed Professional Counselor, give a Power Point presentation virtually on the book “How to Live to 100” by Dr. Michael Howard due to the Covid pandemic (January 2021)
Joseph Scafetta Jr., AMHS director and former Little League all-star, on five pro baseball players with roots in Abruzzo, as discussed in “Baseball Italian Style” by Lawrence Baldassaro, presented on Zoom due to the Covid pandemic (September 2020)
Kirsten Keppel, an AMHS member, on her documentary film “Ringraziamenti: The Saint Joseph’s Day Table Tradition” shown at Alfio’s La Trattoria in Maryland (March 2019)
Maria D’Andrea-Yothers, AMHS former president, on the transumanza and trattori which are shepherds’ trails through Abruzzo and Molise, at Carmine’s restaurant in DC (September 2018)
Diane Welland, nutritionist and food writer, on how pasta came to the United States and why pasta is good for you at Carmine’s restaurant in DC (April 2018)
Dr. Lynn Sorbara, AMHS former vice president/membership, on new cancer treatments, her specialty at the National Institutes of Health (NIH) at Carmine’s restaurant in DC (September 2017)
Domenica Marchetti, an AMHS member, Washington Post food writer, and Abruzzo culinary trip organizer, on a “virtual tour of Abruzzo” and its culinary traditions, at Carmine’s restaurant in DC (May 2017)
Bells of Agnone, on the famous bell foundry in Molise at Alfio’s La Trattoria in Maryland
Dante’s “Divine Comedy” at the Portofino restaurant in Arlington, VA