Visit the new Italian American Museum

Attenzioni Italiani - attention Italians.
Even though Columbus Day is over, there is still plenty of time to reconnect with your roots and the path taken by your ancestors thanks to an exhibit by the Italian American Museum (IAM).
“The Immigrant Experience: Banca Stabile - Cornerstone of Little Italy,” which opened earlier this month, runs through November 23 at the new home of the IAM - the bank itself.
“This location is significant because the Stabile family was the cornerstone of this community,” said Joseph V. Scelsa, the Italian American Museum’s President and founder. “Their bank was the financial engine that ran everything in this area.”
“The original state is still there,” remarked Nancy Cataldi, President of the Richmond Hill Historical Society, who was chosen to be guest curator of the exhibit.
Cataldi, who traces her roots to the old country and actually lived in Italy from the ages of five through 12, explained that Banca Stabile, which operated from the 1880s through 1932 (after which the location was used for the Stabile family’s real estate business), was more than just a bank - it was a community center and the place Italian immigrants went “because they trusted their own.”
“It was a hub of activities for the community,” said Scelsa, who is also a Professor Emeritus to Queens College, out of which the IAM grew.
“The bank lent money, gave out mortgages, was a post office, even booked steam ship tickets,” she explained, adding that “everything was left there - passports, tickets, even the Stabile family history, including wedding [documents] and deeds.”
But although the artifacts were there, they were in disarray.
“They were all just thrown together in a box,” said Scelsa, who is also one of the Grand Marshals of the Howard Beach Columbus Day Parade that will take place on Sunday, October 19. “Nancy did a great job of taking [everything] apart and making sense out of them.”
He continued, “We’ve known Nancy a long time - she is active in historical labors with the Italian-American community. She was a natural considering her background and everything she has done.”
“I was just delighted to get my hands on something Italian,” Cataldi told The Courier. “Everyone needs to keep that in their blood. The young people have to carry on the tradition.”
The Italian American Museum, located at 155 Mulberry Street, was founded in 2001. It is expected to expand at its current location to 10,000-square-feet. So far, according to its web site, $9.4 million had been raised for the museum from a combination of city and state grants, as well as contributions from trustees. Cataldi said that Senator Serphin Maltese has donated $1 million.
To learn more about the IAM, visit www.italianamericanmuseum.org or call 212-965-9000.